


ein blutiger SPIELPLATZ

by Vie (AoKissing_In_A_Tree)



Category: FE3H, FE:3H, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Bouts of Insanity here and there, Dark, F/F, F/M, Femme Fatale, Humor, Mildly offensive humor, Post-Timeskip relationship, Pre-Timeskip relationship, Romance, Sexual Humor, Smut, Written before game's release - may contain changes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-20 16:16:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19995103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoKissing_In_A_Tree/pseuds/Vie
Summary: “Unshackle your inner beast and become the proud Blue Lion that your country aspires you to be!” Upon saying that, her laughter heightened.She was hysterical.





	ein blutiger SPIELPLATZ

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ^^
> 
> [ UPDATE as of 08/01/2019: I decided to fix the format and some basic spelling errors (although I probably still missed a few UuU')  
> Despite my recently getting into the game (IFUCKINGLOVEITBTW) I did not change ANYTHING in this story. ]
> 
> I haven't written anything in over a year and when I decided to write something it was-- VOILA~  
> I started writing this fic this week during my vacation because I've always loved how both Byleth and Dimitri came off to me-- just from sheer design and profile. I did not read any spoilers nor did I look too much into the game's leaks.  
> I worked hard to try to post this before the game came out but I couldn't x3 ...I just kept writing more and more. I felt possessed lol.  
> My game is still sitting on my desk. I promised myself that I would only play it if I finished this fic.
> 
> Now... About this fic...  
> There are NO spoilers here. Don't worry if you're just going to get into FE3H or you just want want a large ficlet centered around Byleth and Dimitri's characters because THIS is it. It's a 99+ page one-shot. It wasn't originally intended to be this long but I don't know what came over me... UuU' 
> 
> Also when I was proofreading and editing through it the first time AO3 sorta lagged and I had to re-do everything fmfl.  
> There may be some minor grammatical and spacing mistakes but I'm tired and I really wanna get this out rn. I will read through it again myself later but right now I really gotta rest.
> 
> Lastly, bear in mind that I started writing this fic BEFORE the game came out and I did not read into spoilers of the game, its characters, and story. This is mostly me stretching my creativity with these characters and having fun. Occurrences that have occurred in this ff may not have exactly occurred in the game. AGAIN, I have no knowledge of that yet (but I am reallyreallyreally looking forward to playing the game)
> 
> Anyway,  
> Get comfortable, get your snacks ready, and smell the roses because this is a long one.
> 
> ENJOY!

The scratching yet faint screeching of the chalk against the board was the only sound that filled the small, yet run-down room.

Bright orange streaks of light stretched into the room-- the sun was just beginning to set.

The faint rustling of falling dried up leaves could be heard from within.

A crow landed on the ledge of the partially ajar window and started pecking at the glass before flying off.

The small room smelled of the sun and the musk of its current invader’s perfume as well as the chalk particles that danced about the windows poetically.

It was their new classroom.

Originally, it was used as another store room for weapons before the woman suggested they use it as a small classroom to teach the newer and greener recruits.

The weapons were relocated to merge with another one of the seemingly denizens of weapon store rooms to which the young woman thought to be rather…concerning.

__

__‘There were enough weapons there to-’_ _

****“...Professor?”** **

Exhaling an inaudible yet breathy gasp, the woman snapped out of her reverie, noticing that her grip of the chalk was understandably shaky and she had inadvertently drawn a line that was slowly collapsing further and further.

A soft yet calming chuckle could be heard from beside her.

Slowly turning to her right, she shot her eyes open to find none other than the incredibly bright, beautiful, yet humble Noble--

His crystalline blue eyes searched hers, “That’s quite an interesting looking map.” The House Leader turned his head to face the board, a curled finger under his chin. His eyes became studious and he pouted his lips, “…or is it supposed to be some kind of diagram?” He averted his gaze to the side, looking at her playfully, “Your sense of artistry is as questionable as ever.”

The chalk snapped in her fingers.

His smile softened, “Something’s on your mind. That face says it all.”

She slumped her shoulders, **“Dimitri…”** It was hard to speak-- yet that was the only name she could utter.

The teen’s brows suddenly furrowed sadly and he turned around to fully face her- taking a step closer, “I… My apologies if I offended. It was only a jest.”

A lovely rosy tidal wave spread over his usually pale cheeks, lips slightly trembling.

“D-Don’t look at me like that. I was merely trying to cheer you up.” He looked to the side, cheeks darkening before he muttered something along the lines of, __“I’ve been spending too much time with Claude...”__

He cleared his throat and shifted back to his already perfect posture. It appeared that it took quite a bit out of him to ‘break out of character.’

A simple question escaped his lips, his kind blue eyes interlocked with hers,

“How are you __really,__ …Byleth?”

A shiver ran through her upon hearing him call her name.

“I’m-” She found her voice again, “I’m alright.”

Realizing that she must have looked pathetic and fragile, she took in a deep breath and slipped on the strength and confidence that she was known for.

She smirked and lifted her hand up, her fingers dirtied from the chalk, “How could I not be? I have such wonderful students.” She exhaled a poof of air at her dirtied fingers, blowing the chalk away. She clenched her fist and Dimitri’s concerned face was evident on his handsome features.

“...is it too much to ask for you to be truthful with me?”

That question caught her off-guard but not as much as his sad yet disappointed tone when he said it.

He faced the ground, eyes half-lidded, smiling a sad bust distant smile, “I admire you immensely, Byleth. You’re a great teacher. A very strong and capable fighter at that. However, there are times when I look at you, your eyes just seem so…sad. The moment you’re confronted by someone, you immediately put on this front: the strong and confident Byleth, ever so inspiring. An ideal teacher figure.”

His eyes found hers again, “Does it burden you?”

She knotted her brows, looking up at him square in the eye, _~~_Yes._~~_ “No.”

They were both quiet for seconds that felt like an eternity, not exchanging a single word, their fixed gazes impenetrable, it was as if they were sizing each other up.

It was the Blue Lions’ Leader that ultimately broke the silence--

**“Every time I look at you I feel an odd tug at my heart…”** It seemed he had just said that without thinking twice on his wording but his expression didn’t break. He looked as sincere as ever.

And just as he said that, she just as quickly responded with a, “Maybe you should stop looking.” -but unlike him, she wished she could take that back.

But…

She knew Dimitri.

Yet it still tugged at her own heart when he smiled warmly and shook his head as he said,

**“Impossible.”**

Her cheeks felt warm and instead of saying anything, she kept quiet and avoided his gaze momentarily, trying to catch herself.

A sigh escaped his lips as he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and stepped closer towards her, lifting her dirty hand and cleaning it for her.

She scoffed softly, smirking wryly, “Always so chivalrous...” There was an evident tremble in her voice as she said that, trying to steady herself.

He smiled in turn, humming, “Does it bother you?”

The young woman smiled at him, her features softening, “ **No…** Not at all.”

Upon cleaning her hand, he gently grasped at it, marveling at the size difference between his larger hand and her much smaller one.  
  
His eyelids drooped halfway, "If there is anything I can do to help lift some of your burdens-- relieve you of your pain..." His azure eyes shifted towards hers, his tone suddenly stern yet all the while sincere, "... **Come to me.** "  
  
In that moment, she felt her eyes welling up and before she even dared to cry, she shut her eyes tightly and nodded.  
  
She felt soft lips on her knuckles, "I will always be there for you." He whispered, so lowly, "Always..."  
  
A hand on her cheek, "Look at me, Byleth."  
  
Inhaling, slowly, she flickered her eyes open.  
  
He said nothing, seemingly at a daze.  
  
An expression that inked its way into her heart-- his blonde brows furrowed, lips parting slightly....  
  
Then his lips curled into a warm and loving smile.  
  
. . .  
  
His lips parted,  
  
He whispered something...  
  
She arched an eyebrow, "Huh?"  
  
She couldn't hear.  
  
Suddenly, he froze in his spot.  
  
She gasped as streaks of red oozed out of the corners of his eyes, down to his rosy cheeks.  
  
His nose... His ears...  
  
"D-Dimitri!" She grabbed his shoulders.  
  
Cracks started forming all over his face and body, his beautiful azure eyes that were once so kind, now so very cold and doll-like.  
  
Tears starting uncontrollably pouring out of her very own eyes and she started to lessen her grasp of his shoulders in fear of him breaking, " **I've got you...** I've got you..." Her hands quickly reached for his cracking porcelain-like face, her thumbs brushing at his bloody tears, "I've got you. I've got you... Shhh... **Don't cry.** " She tilted her head, looking into his lifeless eyes, inching her lips closer to his, "Dimitri..." She suddenly started, her body and soul quivering…  
  
"...if you've plans to abandon this cruel world..." Cracks starting forming at the tip of her fingers, traveling all the way to her forearms, her face...  
"...and daring to abandon me..." Her lips twisted to a sad smile, "...then **take me with you.** " She pressed her lips against his- so cold and porcelain-like.  
  
His legs began to shatter and his body collapsed ontop of hers, causing her own legs to break as she tumbled backwards.  
  
There was a sharp pain at her temples as his head fell atop of hers and--  
  
  
  
. . .  
  
  
  
**"Hey!"  
  
  
  
** An all too familiar childish female's voice called out, sounding annoyed.  
  
_"Honestly…"_  
  
She wrinkled her nose and brows, groaning.  
  
Then she felt the same flicker of pain in her temples as she did earlier.  
  
Slowly, she blinked, seeing a foggy vision of a small figure... a mass of lush and familiar moss green hair and eyes, a small hand that was outstretched to her own head.

The small figure took her hand back and tilted her little head, “Come’on… This is getting more creepy than awkward now.”

“Huh?”  
  
Byleth blinked again, clearing her vision.

Across from her stood a very annoyed looking Sothis, whom now puffed her slightly reddening cheeks like a child, regarding the young woman with her usual smug but irritated look. She placed her fists on her hips, standing in front of the desk.

__

__‘A dream…? Did I fall asleep on the desk?’_ _

She exhaled an exhausted breath and watched the child-like figure of the woman in front of her, now crossing her arms and looking down at her, “It’s about time you woke up. **He’s been here for ages now.** ”

  
?!  
  


Before she had the opportunity to ask what she meant, her eyes drifted to the desks in front of her.  
  
  
! ! !

She shot her eyes open as she found none other than the brooding and imposing figure of Dimitri, sitting at the very front desk, watching her with his one tired and icy eye. His expression was as unreadable as ever.

She felt her heartbeat suddenly quicken and she pushed herself off from her desk so that she was sitting up and facing him.

Dim orange lightning stretched towards his massive figure.

Everything was quiet outside.

…or maybe she wasn’t paying attention as it was completely robbed by the blonde Commander in front of her.

He had his arms crossed and regarded her with a cold look, his lips were twisted to his now usual scowl.

Before Byleth could speak, Sothis jumped on her desk next to her and started rocking her bare feet playfully, “Your class was canceled last minute. You passed out on your desk while waiting for people to show up. Romeo here walked in and caught you drooling while you were in Lala Land and decided to watch you sleep for like,” She pouted her lips and tilted her head back, looking at the young woman, “ **Two hours--** _probably_ more!” She grinned a toothy grin as she said that.

Upon hearing of her drooling, Byleth immediately moved her fingers to her lips, sliding them to the corners of her mouth as her cheeks flared red, _‘I wasn’t drooling! Sothis, you-’_

**“Bad dream?”** It was his brusque and deep voice that suddenly snapped her attention back to him.

Of course he couldn’t see Sothis, whom yawned and rolled her eyes at him.

Byleth looked at him, despite changing so much throughout the years, he still looked incredibly handsome and beautiful even behind all that war fatigue.

__

__‘Fatigue… More like a hunger, actually.’_ _

He had a beast’s ferocity about him now- the quiet before the storm. Mighty, but sad…and lonely.

**He’s become a true Blue Lion now.**

It broke her heart every time she looked at him.

She parted her lips, giving him one last stare before she furrowed her brows and focused on whatever books and papers lying on her desk, “It’s nothing.”

She felt both his and Sothis’ eyes on her as she tried to busy herself by arranging the already arranged papers across from her.

His stare-- she didn’t need to look at him to feel it-- it pierced right through her.

She gulped, feeling her cheeks heat up, __‘Just leave me alone already!’__ She bit her tongue, now clenching her fists underneath her desk.

“Um, Byleth…” Sothis started, giving her a somewhat concerned look. She formed a small ‘o’ with her lips and pointed her finger at her, **“Your hair.”**

__‘Fuck-’_ _

Widening her eyes, she turned to look at her hair as she carded her fingers through it.

She tutted- just as she thought.

It had changed to a misty green color again.

Sighing, she slumped her shoulders in defeat.

  
Guess there was no use hiding her emotions now when her hair so clearly gave it away.

She really needed to work harder at hiding her emotions…

But no matter how much she tried, her hair would just give it away.

When she’s under extensive stress, or overwhelmed with emotions, her hair color would just change.

She doesn’t understand why but…as she snuck a peek at him from beneath her layered bangs, she hoped to whatever god out there that he wouldn’t ask her questions.

__‘Don’t pry… Just leave… **Just looking at you makes me feel sick** … Just go… Leave leave leave leave leave leave leave leave leave leave leave leave lea-’_ _

He let out a dry scoff.

She dug her nails deeper into her whitening palms painfully, gritting her teeth.

He stood up, now even taller and bigger than he used to be, his messy tuft of blonde hair falling to the black fur that decorated the cloak on his broad shoulders.

She gulped, slowly looking up at him.

She wished she hadn’t, she hated looking at that sad but cruel eye of his, “Go wash up and come to the War Room. Meeting in 10.” And that’s all he said before he walked out, every step a thud that resonated with her heartbeat.

Upon his exit, which ended with the door being slammed quite loudly,

…which meant he was angry with her,

She exhaled a deep sigh and moved a hand to her chest, her heart was beating so rapidly and she felt like she was holding her breath during the entirety of his presence.

Sothis stood next to her and tilted her head, pressing a hand on her shoulder, “Whoa… Are you okay?” She arched a thin green brow, “What’s the matter with you? You were muttering stuff in your sleep, too…”

Byleth suddenly remembered what Sothis said earlier-- that he’d been watching her sleep for over 2 hours.

She turned to look at the green haired girl, “Did… Did Dimitri-”

Sothis cupped the woman’s face and bumped her forehead against hers, “Who cares?~~~~” She said that in a sing-song voice before jumping backwards and twirling.

Byleth tutted and rubbed her forehead.

“Come’on~ You’ve got a meeting to attend. You don’t wanna keep him waiting, do you?” The little girl crossed her arms behind her back as she stood by the door, looking at the black clad woman over her shoulder, pouting her small lips again, “He’s already grumpy enough as it is.”

Standing up, she laced a finger through her own hair and looked at it, watching the color darken to its usual dark blue color. She sighed and picked up her books with her free arm, “Fine.”

She crossed her way towards the little girl, “Let’s go, kiddo.”

Incredibly offended, the smaller girl gasped and placed her hands on her hips, “’KIDDO?’ I’M THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD, **YOU TROGLODYTIC HUSSY!** ”

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Byleth opened the door and hugged her books to her chest, smirking, “How can I be a hussy if I’m a troglodyte? Have you been watching children playing around in the fish market again? Honestly, I’d recommend going to a bar or you could ask my advice.”

They were walking through the garden grounds-- there was a particular path that she recognized all too well. Additionally, it was empty at this time of day which means she can talk to Sothis freely without having to cover the lower parts of her face with a book.

“Ask you to teach me how to curse? Uh, no thanks. I’m a deity, not some classless dragon harlot.”

“Hmm… You’re contradicting yourself at this point, Sothis. Although I do like the idea of a blabber mouth God. Sounds interesting. A fresh take on religion. No holds barred.” Byleth smirked and gestured a finger out, humming, “Pray or be smitten. I giveth thy genitals therefore I can taketh if thy misbehave… _eth!_ ”

Sothis looked up at the woman, arching an eyebrow at her, “What the… You’re weird. Maybe you should quit this war business and write scripts for Showbiz.”

Byleth looked at her and giggled, placing a curled finger by her lips, “Right?~ And we can use the current pop culture as a means to spread war propaganda!”

Sothis laughed and did a salute gesture, imitating a robotic military walk, “Join the war! Fight for your King and country!”

Byleth laughed before she added, **“Unshackle your inner beast and become the proud Blue Lion that your country aspires you to be!”** Upon saying that, her laughter heightened.

She was hysterical.

. . .

Sothis looked up at her sadly, eyes wide. It was no secret that she was able to read between her emotions.

Byleth was still broken up over what happened to Dimitri…

She forced a smile but it came off sad and she reached a hand up to grab Byleth’s. Looking up, she noticed a warm streak of tears sliding out of the woman’s beautiful eyes. She still smiled, her cheeks red, and her hair a whitening green.

**“...It’s all so fuckin’ hysterical.”**

The green haired girl furrowed her eyebrows as the woman said that, facing the ground as they continued walking hand-in-hand, “Yeah… But there’s joy and entertainment to be found in hysterics, too.” She looked up at Byleth and forced the cutest smile she could muster, “Right?”

But Byleth said nothing, just continued walking ahead with a dead look in her eyes.

No hysterical laughter or smile or …anything.

. . .

The sky darkened as did her hair.

* * *

**“Hey, hey, hey~~~”** A boyish voice interrupted through the small crowd of chattering soldiers.

Everyone turned their attention to a silver haired young man who was sitting on a chair with his arms crossed behind his head, “Isn’t he unusually late?” He leaned in against his legs and pressed his hands on his knees, pouting his lips, “Shouldn’t someone check up on him?”

“Well-” A blonde woman with braided hair started before she was immediately interrupted by a pale and handsome navy haired man as he shook his head at her.

Felix bit down on a sigh and sat in front of the silverette, “Absolutely not.”

Ingrid puffed her cheeks and placed a hand on her hip, “And why’s that? You shouldn’t interrupt people before hearing their suggestions, Felix.”

The blonde crossed her arms tightly as she said that, letting out a ‘hmph!’ as she looked to the side in annoyance.

“Yeah, man… Seriously…” Ashe added, laying back in his chair.

Felix rolled his eyes, shaking his head again.

Did he really need to spell it out for them?

Perhaps he can play a game of ask-and-tell to kill the time until their Commander showed up.

“Have you noticed anyone else missing?” He began asking, secretly enjoying the annoyed but clearly invested group of people he’d learned to call friends throughout the years.

Ashe started looking around the room, “Oh yeah-”

**“Byleth is missing.”**

**“Byleth.”**

**“Where is Byleth?”**

**“Teach-”**

Four individuals spoke in unison.

Dedue, Ingrid, Mercedes, and Annette.

They exchanged looks at each other before turning to look at Felix, whom crossed his long legs and regarded them with a slight smirk-- clearly he was enjoying this.

A petite woman raised her small hand, “Uhm.” She started.

They all turned to look at Annette, whom blushed at being the center of attention, “Sylvain does not appear to be present either. He said something about, uhm, confessing his newly developed sins to the clerics…?” She turned to look at Mercedes, whom let out a quiet sigh, “I don’t get it?” The shorter woman inquired, to which her best friend merely shook her head at.

Ingrid blushed and let out a, “Tch. Skirt-chasing again…”

“-And women of the cloth, too. Guy’s without limits.” Ashe added.

“Absolutely disgraceful.” Added the tall and quiet servant, Dedue, whom closed his eyes.

Ingrid’s blush darkened, “W-Who cares about that creep, anyway?!” She snapped her head towards Felix, evidently very annoyed and jealous, “I say we start this meeting without him-- N-Not Dimitri but that good-for-nothing Romeo.”

Felix blinked at her before he shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t make the calls here. Take it up with the Commander once he gets here.”

Ingrid let out yet another tut and turned to look to the side, frowning in annoyance.

“A-Anyway…” It was surprisingly Annette who interjected again, “What does Byleth’s absence have to do with Dimitri’s?” She tilted her head innocently as she asked that, placing a curled finger under her chin in concern.

Ashe let out a nervous laugh, “Ah- Well-” Even he couldn’t answer.

Felix let out an amused scoff upon catching the faint blush on everyone’s faces aside from Annette, being the ever so innocent and naive one of the group.

Suddenly the door burst open as the ever so loud and colorful in personality Sylvain showed up  
  
He grinned his charming grin, lifting his hands up dramatically, **“I have returned, my beloved comrades-in-arms!~”**

  
. . .

Everyone ignored him.

He pouted and slumped his shoulders in defeat, “Oh, come’on! I know times are rough but the least you could do is keep a positive attitude.”

“I sure hope those clerics eased some of your worries then, _pervert!_ ” Ingrid hissed at him.

“Whaaa--”

Felix shook his head.

Ashe sweat-dropped and chuckled, “Another one of _those,_ huh?”

“Absolutely disgraceful.” Dedue added again.

Ashe looked up at him and pouted, “Is that all you have to say?”

“It is what it is.” His senior nodded.

The silverette let out a defeated sigh.

Meanwhile Mercedes and Annette watched the childhood friends and now couple have what appears to be another one of their lovers quarrel.

“--and ANYWAY, I wasn’t skirt-chasing the clerics. I’m not that desperate-- although there’s this new country girl who’s kinda cute-”

“SYLVAIN!”

He yelped and put his hands up in defense, “I jest I jest.”

“Anyway…” Sighing, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, “Why would I ever wanna be with other women when none can hold a handle to you?”

At this, she blushed but still turned around, still pouting, “Hmph.”

Sylvain chuckled and leaned his face closer to hers, “Come’on, baby…”

Sighing, she closed her eyes, “Don’t ‘come’on, baby’ me.” She finally turned to look at him, “Where were you, really?”

The redhead chuckled and hummed, “The garden~”

“The garden?” The blonde repeated and before she could inquire further, her boyfriend seemingly projected a beautiful and vibrant red rose from the inside of his jacket.

“ _...Oh._ ” She simply uttered, cheeks reddening as she meekly accepted it.

Ashe rolled his eyes and sighed, “Man, he’s smooth…”

“Absolutely disgracefu-”

“We get it.” It was Felix who interrupted him this time, scowling at the older man.

“So, you like it? I protected it in the confines of my bosom.” He grinned, placing a hand on his chest dramatically as he said that.

Ingrid looked at it and her smile split into two-- not exactly wanting to appear too thrilled about it.

“That’s quite the odd expression.” Commented the small Annette.

“Indeed.” Nodded Mercedes.

"W-Well... It's not bad, I suppose..." Ingrid chewed the inside of her cheek as she mumbled, doing her best to not appear easily pleased. Her blush darkened as he nuzzled his cheek against hers.  
A smile broke out of her lips but she still managed a smug pout, "Y-You still owe me dinner!"  
  
He laughed, "Deal!" As he planted a quick kiss on her cheek.  
  
She yelped as her face turned as red as the rose in her hand, "N-NOT HERE, YOU IDIOT!"  
  
"But I can't help it! You're just so cute!"  
  
"Sylvain!" She pushed him and turned to look at her surrounding amused audience.  
  
Feeling impatient, Felix interjected, "Sylvain."  
  
Letting out an apparently annoyed, _**"Ugh."**_ Due to his childhood friend interrupting his moment, "What?"  
  
Felix coolly glared at him for that before he added, "Have you seen either Dimitri or Byleth on your way here?"  
  
Suddenly, he widened his eyes and parted his lips, as if he were reminded of something important.  
  
It did not go unnoticed by the duo of his childhood friends.  
  
The lone wolf arched an eyebrow.  
  
Switching his expression back to his signature smile, Sylvain placed one hand at his nape while he gestured his other hand towards his best friend, "About that, you got a minute? I need to talk to you about something."  
  
Felix squinted his eyes at him, "What a coincidence... And I you." He scoffed before he stood up.  
  
"You guys aren't gonna get into a fight, are you?" Ash inquired, smiling nervously as he ruffled his own hair.  
  
Felix kept his gaze on the redhead.  
  
Ingrid wrinkled her brows in concern, "Is everything okay?"  
  
Sylvain chuckled, "Everything's aces. Don't worry your pretty little head."  
  
"But-" He patted her head and walked towards the door.  
  
Felix let him walk out first before he shot everyone a glare, as if he were warning them about eavesdropping.  
  
Feeling intimidated, Ashe immediately started a topic about the first random topic that popped in his mind to break the silence, "S-So Dedue's little ponytail is kinda wack, huh?!" He laughed nervously, obviously not thinking twice before blurting that out.  
  
"Absolutely disgrace-- _**I beg your pardon?!**_ "

As soon as the room erupted of his friends arguing, he left.  
  
Felix shut the door behind him and turned to look at his childhood friend, who was now leaning against a wall with his arms crossed to his chest.  
  
He sighed as he finally broke out of his smile, now replaced with a troubled expression, "Hey, man..." He started, so lowly and quietly that the dark haired man could barely hear him.  
  
**"...what's happened to us?"**  
  
Felix crossed his own arms and stood in front of the redhead, arching a thin brow at him, "War." He answered so simply as if it were the most obvious answer.  
  
...even though they both knew it was much more complicated than that.  
  
Sylvain let out a dry laugh, "Always so blunt..."  
  
"You had a run-in with Byleth?"  
  
The redhead shot his eyes open and looked at the swordsman, his brows wrinkling, "H-How'd you know?!"  
  
Felix scoffed and placed a hand on his hip and gestured the other one out, "I'd know if you ran into Boar."  
  
"Is that so..." Sylvain furrowed his brows miserably, and faced the ground.  
He crossed his arms tighter around his body, as if he were preventing himself from breaking.  
  
Felix watched him, waiting for him patiently and quietly.  
  
...  
  
"In the garden... It seemed like she was speaking to someone. Like she was having a back and forth conversation. But... No one was there."  
  
Felix squinted his eyes and crossed his arms.  
  
"...Normally, that's fine, right? She could just be tired. That's what I tried telling myself but then she..."  
  
Sylvain tutted, closing his eyes.  
  
"Out with it." Felix grabbed his friend by the collar, pulling his face towards his.  
  
Sylvain glared at him, "Then she just started laughing, man! I've never heard her laugh like that! She was in complete hysterics!"  
  
"...So?!" The swordsman was in complete denial.  
  
"So?! I think she's officially lost her goddamn mind!"  
  
Felix scoffed and released him off his grip, "Mind your tongue." He shot him a glare, "-and you sure as hell better bite it around Boar."  
  
Sylvain furrowed his brows at the lone wolf, "What, don't tell me you still have a crush on her? You know she's-"  
  
"I don't." Felix calmly answered.  
  
It's true. He no longer harbors feelings for her. Years ago, he had developed something of a crush towards her. And who wouldn't? Not only was she extremely beautiful and attractive, but she was a highly skilled fighter. Yet despite those positives she has going on for her, she can seem extremely closed off, almost never letting her true feelings show. However, it didn't stop characters like Claude and his best friend, Dimitri from tirelessly trying to pursue her. In fact, there was a bit of a rivalry between them back then despite the two formerly being on good terms and Felix did not want to add more to it.  
  
The change in Dimitri seemed to hold a larger toll to Byleth the most.  
  
To think they used to be so close...  
  
Things have changed so much.  
  
The gods truly have a cruel sense of humor...  
  
"...we're going up against The Golden Deers next." Felix suddenly spoke, trying to keep his voice calm.  
  
He didn't need to look at Sylvain to know of his shocked expression, eyes wide and mouth ajar.  
  
"W-Will Cla-- will their Commander be-"  
  
"Yes." Felix's eyes found Sylvain's, whom shook his head.  
  
"We can't possibly have Byleth join in on this one! She and Claude were-"

  
****"She will."** **  


A new and familiar voice interjected.  
  
A voice so deep and chilling that the duo of friends felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.  
  
Felix and Sylvain shot their eyes open and turned to look as the tall and broad figure of their Commander walked in from the shadows.  
  
He didn't even regard them with a single look, his one good eye, dead, and seemingly looking into a mass of nothingness. His heavy steps echoed throughout the entirety of the hall and he continued walking towards the war room, passing by his closest friends as if they were not.  
  
He was a dead man walking.  
  
Both Felix and Sylvain paled, unable to speak.  
  
They were shaking but they knew they were obligated to follow in his orders.  
  
Should they voice in their concerns in Byleth's mental stability? Maybe propose taking a diplomatic approach with The Golden Deer?  
  
They knew deep in their hearts that Dimitri would not listen.  
  
**He wanted blood.**  
  
. . .  


* * *

  
  
Byleth exhaled deeply through her nose as she began buttoning up her white dress shirt.

Sothis was sitting on her desk, her head tilted to the side as she stared past the window, “It looks like it’s about to rain…” She commented lowly before she turned to look at the blue haired woman.

She huffed and pointed her finger at her, “Are they getting bigger? That’s not fair!”

The shirt _did_ feel tight around her breasts…

“Who knows...” Byleth shrugged a shoulder and buttoned it up just enough that she didn’t feel suffocated.

“Nice cleavage.” Sothis grinned, “You’re going to turn the blue blooded Commander’s blood red!”

“Ugh. Shut up.” Byleth groaned, dropping her butt on the edge of her bed as she began to slip on her very pale black stockings, standing up as she pulled them up. She tucked in the hems of her white shirt inside it.

“You’ve always been very keen on your fashion sense, huh?” Sothis began rocking her feet again like a child, watching Byleth hurriedly tug at the corners of her underwear, “Pft. **A wedgie?!** When was the last time you went underwear shopping-- or shopping for newer clothes, in general?”

The professor sighed, fixing her wedgie and moving to fetch her skirt that she’s tossed by the bed before she had went to take her quick shower, “A while ago.” She answered truthfully.

Sothis shook her head, “Well, anyway… Back to my earlier point: I like your figure. It’s very, hmm… What'stheword…” She let out an _‘A-ha!’_ sound and pointed at Byleth, winking, “ **’Womanly!’** ”

The dark haired woman continued to slip on her black pencil skirt that reached up to the midst of her thighs.

Before unzipping it, her attention averted to something else, “Shoes. Where are my…”

Sothis jumped from her desk and continued, “The way you dress compliments your figure quite a lot. You mentioned to me once how your appearance made you feel isolated growing up.” She whined, pouting her lips and placing a hand on her hip, “I can only imagine why… I’m kinda jealous.”

Finding her pick of navy-purple-ish high heels with the floral patterns from within, the woman gave a small smile, “Beautiful…” She carefully slid her feet into them, “Shoes will always fit no matter what.” She hummed, admiring the way her legs looked in the mirror with her shoes, **“Shoes are my only true friend.”**

The green haired girl, steadied the taller woman’s movements by holding her butt and zipping up her skirt.

“Oh.” Byleth looked down at her, “Thanks.”

Sothis gestured both of her hands up and shook her hand, regarding the taller woman with an unimpressed look, “Honestly, if I hadn’t you would have left with it just like that.”

Byleth returned to look at herself in the mirror, ruffling her hair which is now thankfully to its original navy blue color, “I probably shouldn’t have worn a black bra…” That’s all she had, sadly (and all she would ever buy).

Suddenly, the green haired girl started giggling.

Byleth arched an eyebrow, “What’s so funny?”

“I just remembered something.”

“Oh?”

The green haired girl grinned toothily, “Remember that time where you were about to quit in one of your, uh, Introductory...Teachers...Examination..thingy? …is that what they’re called?”

The taller woman walked towards her vanity table and picked up her favorite musky perfume.

“Anyway, remember how those hags from the clergy were heckling you for being asked to join the Monastery? They really didn’t want you to join cuz you were young and asked to teach one of The Houses. When they saw you, they were immediately suspicious of you. You said they even suspected you of being a spy.”

Byleth dropped her eyelids halfway as she began sprinting perfume by her neck, hair, chest, and wrists.

“You told me this story before!” Sothis continued, smiling all the while, “No matter how much they argued to the higher ups, they wouldn’t remove you because you were in everyone’s favor. And then…” She smirked and lifted her hands up, appearing smug, “They did their best to tear at your spirit. Remember what that fatso said? The one with the glasses and the really bright cheap red lipstick? The one who was going to examine your classroom behavior and write up more reports?”

Byleth set the perfume down, running her fingers over the surface of her vanity table, fixing the fabric.

“She said I looked like a slut. She said that my outfit was derogatory, distracting, and ill-fitting for my occupation.”

Sothis grinned, “And what did you do?”

Byleth smirked and closed her eyes, “I took it all off.”

**. . . . .**

She remembers it.

It was such an eventful day for many more reasons too...

She still remembers how angry she felt starting that day off.

There were women attacking her from every corner over petty reasons. None of them judged her for her ability to teach but rather for dumbfounding reasons such as her outfit, her unkempt hair, her body, her stance…

She was at her very limit as she huffed and took quick strides towards her class.

She walked into the classroom to find not only all the students from the three different Houses, but that insufferable woman sitting at the very back, with her notebook out.

_'Oh, great...'_

Already she started jotting down notes-- must be because why Byleth chose to stick to her guns and not change her outfit or fix her hair.

“Good morning, Teach.” Claude grinned his charming signature grin at her, sitting at the very front row along with Edelgard, whom stood up and bowed, “Good morning, Professor.”

  
Dimitri, whom was sitting next to them, walked towards her and smiled that kind smile of his, a faint rosy tidal wave spread over his cheeks, **“Good morning, Byleth.”** He spoke quietly, facing downward before shooting his eyes open upon realizing his blunder, “I-I mean ‘Professor’!”

…she remembered thinking that she was so dearly going to miss the blonde Noble, especially. He was always so kind, humble, and sincere. However, there was a chained darkness within him that she was ever so curious about. It only flickers but she always knew that she needed to keep an eye on him, as sweet as he may be.

She shot the woman a glare, whom looked baffled and offended at the Three House Leaders addressing her so casually-- especially Dimitri.

In fact, she even had to clear her throat to address the issue, “Lord Dimitri, you must not address this Commoner so casually.”  
  


_Resorting to referring to me as 'Commoner,' huh? That's some comic book-level bitch-baggery right there..._ She thought, smiling as she shook her head.  
  


Dimitri clenched his fists and glared icily at her- a glare so cold it both surprised and intimidated her, “Mind your tongue. You are merely a lowly Adviser and not from this very Monastery at that-”

Before he continued, Byleth placed a finger on his lips and pouted at him, “Sh.”

The blonde shot his eyes open and his cheeks reddened immensely at the contact of Byleth’s finger on his lips. His heart started racing.

Byleth didn’t pay it no mind and walked to the center of the classroom, her books still clenched to her chest. She looked up at the woman and regarded her with a somewhat disgusted look, “ **Lilith Tumbles** , I’d be lying if I said I was thrilled to have you here with us today.”

  
That seemed to earn a couple of snickers from the students.  


_"Tumbles? Is that foreign?"_

_"She looks like she tumbles to be honest..."_

_"As long as she doesn't tumble on me... *yawn* I'm going to catch some sleep..."_

Lilith glared at her, “Uh, it’s **_Lileeth Tumbeau,_** thank you very much! But I’m sure an uncultured mercenary’s daughter wouldn’t know that much.” She started jotting down more notes before regarding her with another look, scowling, “I see you’re still insisting on that raunchy outfit. Exposed midriff, tights that expose the skin, high heels, and the chest armor that really doesn’t serve as one.” She chuckled smugly, shaking her head, “These things just write themselves.”  


_"Man, what a cu-"_

_"Tumbeau...Tumboo...Tompah?... Tampon! Hah! I did a joke!"_

_"Not funny..."_

_"I think Teach's outfit is pretty hot actually..."_

_"Gosh, Sylvain that's all you ever think about! ...but yeah the floral stockings are a nice touch."_

_"Wow... Tumor's lipstick color exactly matches her hair! What is this sorcery?!"_

_"Uh, guys... I think her name is Lileeth Tum-ba-OW...right?"_

_"Teach should just kick her ass and get on with it."_

_"Right? Cat fight cat fight!"_

_"It would be more like... Hippo VS Cat actually..."_

_"...what's a hippo?"_

_"Shh! The advisor lady is writing notes!"_

_"No! Not my perfect student record!"_

The entirety of the class seemed to regard this Lileeth with the dirtiest of looks.

Dimitri slammed his hands on his desk and stood up, “ **That’s it.** I will not allow you to use your position as an adviser to torment our Professor!”  


  
_"Pft. Check it out, guys. Dimitri is totally crushing on the Teach!"_

_"Aww how cute!"_

_"Always knew he was more of an older woman typa guy."_

_"Yeah I totally saw him talking up Grandma Helga on our way here. Helping her up on the wheelchair too. Real smooth, man. Awoo!"_

_"That's called helping out a senior citizen maybe you should try it."_

_"Seriously something is wrong with you guys..."_

_"Uhm... Isn't Grandmother Helga married?"_

_"Guys, I heard that Grandma Helga killed her last two husbands and ate them. We should warn Dimitri now before it's too late! He's of Noble blood too!"_

_"Oh my gods, guys, shut up!"_

  
“-and you will be written up too, Lord Dimitri. Your family will not be pleased about this.”  
  


  
_"Ohh she one of THOSE, huh?!"_

_"She beeeeeee!!!"_

_"Booo!"_

_"...what's with that accent?"_

_"Must be foreign..."_

_"B-But...my perfect student record..."_

_"I heard that when Dimitri turns angry, he turns blue!"_

_"...that's called suffocation, you troglodyte."_

_"...he even grows a mane and starts roaring like a lion."_

_"-and that's called being high on imagination."_

_"I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes."_

_"Guys, we're totally pushing this chit-chat thing."_

  


At this, he looked like he was nearly about to lose it before both Claude and Edelgard had to calm him down and pull him into sitting down.

Even Felix stood up just in case his childhood friend lost his shit.  
  
_"...Great. Is it my time to stab?"_

_"Hey, man! Give me back my pencil!"_

_"Yeah! Use someone else's pencil to stab people with!"_

_"One does not simply steal another man's pencil and threaten to stab with it."_

_"...so uncivilized."  
  
"Use a feather to stab not a pencil."_

_"Yeah but do you really think a feather can prick through that-"_

“Pardon my asking but who the hell are you?” It was Edelgard that now started asking, her voice threatening yet calm.

  
_"Edelgard time!"_

_"Lady Edelgard, shall I fetch your axe and spill tea at this gremlin?"_

“-and that will be written up, too. The term ‘hell’ is a micro-aggression. You should know better, Lady Edelgard.”

  
_"What?! But that's my home!"_

_"Hell is a...word...I-I need to use it for some spells howamisupposedtocastspells ohmygoshohmysgosh"_

Edelgard gasped, “What-”

“Seriously, dude-”

“That is not the correct way to address me. I am a woman, not ‘dude.’ You will also be written off, Claude. You know in some nations, failure to address someone correctly is considered a crime. You should feel lucky for now.”

_"Pft... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"_

_"Quiet, you idiot! Do you want Claude to go to jail?!"_

_“...looks more like a land whale to me.”_

“Who said that?!” Lileeth snapped, looking around to catch the perpetrator,

  
_"Ohh! SHHHH!"_

_"Nobody rat each other out, now!"_

_"Yes, yes! Let us remain beautifully anonymous!"_

_"Shh! Shh! She's looking our way! Pretend you care about today's lecture!"_

_"There hasn't been a lecture yet, you idiot!"_

_"Okay, okay! Everyone! Look at your dicks!"_

_"B-But I don't have a-"_

A loud thump echoed throughout the entire classroom, earning everyone's sudden attention.  
  
They all turned to look as Byleth had intentionally dropped her heavy books on her desk.  
  
She smiled a sweet and beguiling smile upon getting everyone's attention, "Right." She sighed.  
  
Properly standing up, she waved the dust off from where her books landed and placed the other hand on the small of her back,  
  
"Today's lesson will be a very important one." She started, her voice suddenly sultry, now leaning against her desk with one hand, her eyes and body language all screaming 'seduction.'  
  
"A __very__ special one..."  
  
Dimitri gulped, watching her lip movements.  
  
Claude leaned in more against his desk, suddenly even more intrigued than usual.  
  
Edelgard watched the duo with her brow arched, grinning.  
  
The entirety of the class suddenly seemed very well invested, even the usually sleepy Linhardt (but that was due to an anonymous classmate throwing an eraser at the back of his head).  
  
An audible breathy sigh escaped Byleth's lips and she closed her eyes, waving a hand in front of her face, "I absolutely will not forgive you if you forget."  
  
There was an evident blush on her face before she pushed herself off her desk, now looking at the very back of the classroom and smirking.  
  
"Oh, look. The Principal has now decided to join us."  
  
She picked up the left side of her robe and did a respectful (but out of spite) bow, "It's a pleasure~"  
  
The principal cleared his throat and waved a hand at her, motioning that they should pay him no mind and continue with their lesson. He nodded before he sat down next to Lileeth.  
  
"Let's review some lessons first." She began walking back to her desk in a purposely sultry manner, swaying her hips more than usual.

Claude peeked his head out and grinned. Edelgard elbowed him in the chest and glared at him.  
  
"Remember when we talked about 'honey traps'?" She was behind her desk now, a hand reaching to the back of her shoulder as she took off her heavy robe, holding it up with one finger.  
  
She arched a brow at the class, gesturing her other hand up, "I'm not hearing anything?"

  
_"I...I wasn't paying attention..."_

_"I wonder if I can hook up with the Teach..."_

_"Dude, no. Dimitri will totally rip your dick off with one hand if you do. He's called dibs."_

_"I don't want Dimitri to rip my dick off..."_

_"Hey! 'Dude' is illegal! Do you honestly wanna go to jail for saying 'Dude?'"_

_"What? But he is a dude! ...wait, dude. You are a dude, right? Dude, you're not hiding any secrets from me, are you, dude?!"_

_"Shh! The Professor is looking at us!"_

_"What was the question again?"_

  
  
She dropped her robe on her desk before she giggled and slowly moved her hand up to her neck, purposely letting it linger on her chest, "It's just a 'yes' or 'no' answer, guys."  
  
The trio of the noble House Leaders, who were sitting at the very front, blushed furiously and finally found their voices.  
  
"I DO-- I mean **YES!** "  
"Y- **YES!** "  
" **YES** , MA'AM!"  
  
A thud followed by a dangling sound echoed in the class as she dropped her chest piece emblem onto the desk.  
  
"Then you understand I'm not referring to actual honey traps. I really do have such wonderful students."  
  
She looked up at the principal and the adviser, smiling sweetly, "Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
The principal, who's cheeks reddened all of a sudden, answered with a throaty, "Y-Yes. They're very bright!"  
  
Byleth giggled, "Oh, they are."  


_"She totally looked at me as she said that!"_

_"As if! You don't even study!"_

_"Yeah I do!"_

_"Obviously, I am her number one student. I aced all my exams and have graduated early when I was-"_

  
  
She sat down at the front desk, motioning to the trio of house leaders, which took them by complete surprise, "Especially those three."

  
_"...oh."_

_"What about us?"_

_"Our lives matter too, you know!"_

  
  
She softly patted a hand over Edelgard's head, "It's actually a little scary."  
  
"I..."  
  
Byleth then flicked her wrist and continued her discussion, "Well, back to the topic at hand: Honey traps."  
  
She began to take off her wrist gauntlets as she continued, "Honey traps, or rather, honey trapping, is a type of an investigative practice that uses sex as a means of blackmail for political or monetary purposes. Sometimes it's for interpersonal reasons between families of great wealth and stature."  
  
She stood up, now her arms free of her gauntlets.  
  
"A sexpionage, if you will."  


_"Sounds like my kinda espionage if you know what I mean."_

_"Yes, we know what it means. She just explained it!"_

  
  
Suddenly, it hit the House Leaders where Byleth was going with this. They had heard of the clergywoman and neighboring nations' monastery advisers accusing her of being a spy. The women in particular were heckling her.  
  
The older woman looked at the three of them again, pointing out a finger and smiling coldly, "Pay attention, Class."  
  
She strode to her desk, huffing, "It's rather hot today, isn't it, my dear adviser?"  
  
The adviser in question scoffed, continuing to write down all the errors and flaws in their Professor in her notebook.  
  
Byleth walked behind her desk, turned around, and scaled her hands slowly from her rear all the way to her front, "Those who illicit these sexual acts can vary from both genders. Women seducers are referred to as 'Swallows' whereas the male seducers would be referred to as 'Ravens.'" She undid the sash around her hips.  
  
She turned around, flipping her hair as she grinned, "Well, what do you think? Do I come off as 'honey trapping,' material?"  
  
Byleth sat on the edge of her desk, crossing her legs seductively, "Well, how about it?" Her gaze turned icy, her tone suddenly serious, "How can you be absolutely certain that I am not a spy?"  
  
The adviser shot her eyes open and yelled, "WRENCH! YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO DEVIATE THEIR ATTENTIONS FROM-"  
  
**"That's impossible."** It was Dimitri who stood up first, despite him formerly being a blushing mess, his face was now stricken with a sense of determination and justice.  
  
Just as quickly, Edelgard stood up next, "I agree with Dimitri. There is just no way for that to be the case, Professor."  
  
Claude stood up, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck. Despite him appearing very easygoing, he was evidently taking this claim quite seriously, "I won't lie. You're easy on the eyes, Teach, but that is just too unlikely of a scenario." He gestured his hands out as he continued, "It would be too convenient."  
  
While the rest of the class appeared stunned, it was those three in particular that proudly stood and represented them.  
  
"STUDENTS, DO NOT LISTEN TO HER! SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A LOWLY MERCENARY! SURELY HE WILL USE HER TO-"  
  
Byleth calmly leaned in against her knees, watching the trio of nobles innocently, "Why not? Where's your proof?"  
  
Edelgard pouted, seemingly upset, "Well, first of all, you would never just out yourself like that."  
  
Byleth narrowed her eyes at her, tilting her head slightly back, "Maybe this is all an act. Maybe I'm just trying to win your favor by playing up a double act. A strategical play of victimhood."  
  
Edelgard furrowed her brows, "That's-"  
  
"THAT'S RIGHT, STUDENTS! SHE WANTS TO EARN YOUR TRUST AND DIRECT YOUR IRE TOWARDS US--"  
  
"Still..." Claude started, his grin fading to a more serious expression, now suddenly appearing cold and his emerald eyes were calculating. She'd never seen him with that expression before, "I consider myself to be a good judge of character, Professor. The times we've spent... The laughs we shared... It's not that I am letting my own bias cloud my judgement." He knotted his brows, "I just don't believe you to be as cunning as you would like us to believe. You being somewhat closed off might give others the wrong impression but I..." He placed a fist on his chest and took a deep breath, "I just don't feel you could ever be so blackhearted!" He yelled.  
  
Byleth chuckled softly and faced downward, " _'Feel'?_ You're very naive, Claude."  
  
Claude let out a breathless gasp, "C-Come'on-"  
  
It was then that a single sentence silenced everyone.  
  
****"You would already be dead."**** Dimitri chillingly interjected.  
  
Byleth immediately looked up to face him and was shocked at his facial expression. His eyes seemed to be a brighter icy blue than usual or maybe it was the way he looked, like he was staring into the very abyss of her soul. His expression doll-like and unreadable.  
  
There it was-- that flicker of darkness taking over. The one that Byleth secretly feared.  
  
"Not only is it utterly foolish for a spy to disguise herself as a teacher, you stand out too much. Something a spy must never strive to be. Moreover..." His voice was calm, and his line of delivery was monotone despite of the horrific things he spoke of.”  
  
"Occupations such as being a part of the Church are considered too pure. It would cost a religious unrest and bring about too much press attention. You are a teacher-- and at this Monastery, at that. The teachers' occupation is too affiliated with the education system which in turn is too tied up with the government. Even if it is an easy way for a conwoman to earn the students' trust the government would never take this chance. It is too risky."  
  
He interlocked his eyes with hers, as if locking her in place, "You taught us that too, remember?"  
  
The Professor's eyes widened and she parted her lips.  
  
But before she could speak, Dimitri added, "-and let's say they do take this gamble. This one time they decide to use a beautiful woman such as yourself to sleep around or rather-- _spy_ on us,"  
  
He was quiet for a second before he repeated, "You would be dead. We wouldn't be having this conversation. A spy being outed is as good as dead. There is a small chance that your country might take you back, maybe, but are you sure you can even make it there on time? There has already been rumors of you being a spy. If you were a spy," He repeated once again, widening his eyes a bit, appearing almost maniacal, "You would be dead, Byleth."  
  
Byleth furrowed her brows at him.  
  
Then, he continued,  
  
"If you were caught, the amount of torture you would be subjugated to is unimaginable. Cutting off your limbs, plucking out your teeth, nails, eyes... You're not equipped to handle it. Most women aren't. No..."  
  
He furrowed his brows, eyes still wide, and his mouth split into something of an insane smile,  
  
"Byleth..." He started.  
  
She gulped.  
****  
********"You would have killed yourself."****  
  
...  
  
She exhaled a gasp, her heart rate increased and she was breathing quickly. She was even starting to sweat.  
  
The entire classroom was silent, too taken aback and horrified at what they just heard.  
  
Byleth shakily turned around and looked away from the boy, reaching for a glass of water.  
  
Both Edelgard and Claude's faces had paled and they were silent, nervously looking back at both Byleth then Dimitri, whom allowed his legs to collapse as he sat back down. He rubbed his face then moved his hand up to his hair, carding his shaky fingers through it.  
  
It appeared that even he was surprised by his little moment of madness.  
  
The Principal cleared his throat, "Professor Byleth." He called.  
  
Byleth took a quick chug of her water before she turned up to look at him, wordlessly, he appeared incredibly pale and guilt-ridden,  
  
"I hope you will forgive us for our suspicions of you and I would like to extend a personal apology myself for participating in this class examination and for ever doubting you." He blinked slowly, his eyes were dead.  
  
Byleth said nothing.  
  
"P-Principal-" Lileeth stood up,  
  
"Please overlook everything Adviser Tumbeau or the clerics have said. I will take care of it as a way of amending our mistakes. I have made an awful judgement and have come to a realization of something."  
  
He turned around and was about to leave, "Please send my regards to your father."  
  
"B-BUT PRINCIPAL!" It was then that Lileeth let out an inhuman screech and tumbled all the way down to where Byleth stood, in an attempt to kill her.  
  
Her skin had turned a sickening green tone in color, her purple veins popping out.  


_"OH MY GODS WHAT THE FUUUU--"_

_"My sword-- where is my sword?!"_

_"Guys, don't move! It can't see us if we don't move!"_

_"Yeah nope I'm out bye"_

  
  
**"YOU ASHEN DEMONIC BITCH!!!"** She rolled her snake like tongue out, salivating all over the place. She grew larger in size, and tried to push at the students in a monstrous speed.  


Thankfully, most of them were skilled enough to jump out of the way hurriedly.  
  
"NOTHING BUT A--" She paused as she began to throw up, a small coal like black object dropped to the ground beneath her.  
  
Byleth looked down at it then glared up at her, _'That must have been the cause of the spell...'_  
  
She took out her sword and waited for the monster to approach her.  
  
"Stand back." She quietly ordered the fleeing class who went to fetch their weapons.  
  
The monster's movements were slowing down.  
  
Byleth looked at the trio of House Leaders whom were already armed and ready to go.  
  
She nodded at them, then at the monster.  
  
And just as she taught them, they sprung into action.  
  
Claude acted first by shooting at the monster's now large poppy eyes with his bow and arrow, causing it to howl but not exactly stop its movements.  
  
That's when Dimitri air-flipped over the monster and spiked his spear miserably over its now developing leech-like tail, using his body weight to freeze it in its spot.  
  
It let out another cry and as it was about to knock the blonde over with its hands, Edelgard hacked one of its arms off with her axe.  
  
The creature howled in pain.  
  
The amount of pain it was in caused it to be angrier and lash out, almost knocking at the trio of nobles before they jumped back.  
  
"Damn." Dimitri grit his teeth.  
  
Just then, a sharp pain came from its heart as Byleth had stabbed it with her whip sword and was skillfully avoiding hits from it as she somersaults from one spot to another, all the while snaking her sword around its body.  
  
Eventually, she slid down to beneath its arm and kicked at its elbow miserably with her heel, hearing the bone shatter before she jumped to the back of its head, choking it with her sword.  
  
"Well, well, well... Look what position we got ourselves into now~" The Professor hissed, pulling at the hilt of her sword higher to tighten her choke of the monster.  
  
"Y-You..." The creature that was formerly known as Lileeth tried to grip at the sword whip around its neck, tugging it, "Nemesis..." It gagged, "Descendant of..."  
  
Byleth narrowed her eyes, "Hmm?"  
  
It then began to speak in a decrepit language that, for some reason, Byleth was able to understand.  
  
****You... Will... Bring... About... The... World's... Calamity...****  
  
Byleth arched an eyebrow, "...?"  
****  
********There... Is... No... Justice... For... You...****  
  
The corners of Byleth's lips shifted to a twisted grin, "Well, isn't that interesting?"  
  
"Professor?" Edelgard called in concern.  
  
Byleth pressed her face closer to the monster's, "I'm going to share my secret with you now…"  
  
"Justice... I couldn't care less for it. It really doesn't exist. It's an illusion that humans adore to believe in to mask their destruction and chaos. It is a nice and pretty little word though, no?"  
  
****Y-You...****  
  
She tightened her hold of its neck, as she continued, "As for myself... Why bother..." She hissed, her grin widening, "This world is my stage. I have no direction. My father taught me everything I know in my life and now it's my turn, to pass along my teachings. I have no direction." She widened her eyes, " **I need direction.** Of those three before you I will choose whoever challenges me the most. My leader. My director. I wanna see how long I can dance for that person before it's all over. Nemesis... Calamity..." She grinned again, this time tightening her grip of her sword just enough so she can offer the monster a last bit of words,  
  
"If I do bring about this world's end you speak of, I hope to see you there someday. I'll be sure to wear my best and skimpiest prom dress."  
****  
. . . !****  
  
Just then, Byleth whirled around and pulled at her sword, air-flipping a distance away.  
  
She landed on her heels and turned around, her sword-whip reverting to its original form. She looked over her shoulder and watched the monster's head tumble to the ground, blood splashing and oozing everywhere.  
  
Everyone watched in a mixture of horror, bewilderment, and amazement.  
  
"P-Professor Byleth, are you alright?!" The Principal shakily stood up from behind one of the desks.  
  
Byleth absent-mindedly nodded and went to pick up the black coal-like object. She scoffed before crushing it in her hands. It was soft and broke like a rock made out of sand.

__‘This magic…’__  
  
She turned to look at her students, whom all gathered around her in concern,  
  
"Didn't I tell you? Today's lesson sure turned out to be an unforgettable one..." She smirked before gesturing to the creature's corpse with her hand, that was now beginning to fade away, "Although this was certainly unexpected."

“Ew ew ew ew EWWWW!!!!… I knew I shouldn’t have come to class today…” Bernadetta whined.

“What kind of a name is Lileeth Tumbeau, anyway?” Ingrid commented, chewing the inside of her cheek upon thought.

“Maybe it’s a…stage name or…something?” Sylvain scratched the back of his neck.

“Ugh. How disgusting. I don’t know how you stood being so close to this thing, Professor.” Dorothea chided, a hand on her nose. She kicked at the creature’s head with her heel as she said that.

Felix scoffed, putting his sword behind his back, “Great. I didn’t get a chance to fight it.”

The brunette sighed at the swordsman, “Seriously? That’s all you ever think about huh? The Professor could have, like, died.”

“Shut up.”

Byleth sighed and lifted her sword up, watching as the blood faded off, “No, I had it pretty under control thanks to the teamwork we had.” She looked at the trio of House Leaders and nodded at them, smiling, “Good job, you three.”

Edelgard’s cheeks reddened and she nodded, smiling proudly.

“Lady Edelgard, are you alright?”  
  
Edelgard pouted, flipping her hair off her shoulder in her usual sassy manner, “I’m fine, Hubert.”

  
Claude suddenly but nearly tackled the older woman to a hug, which Byleth was completely unprepared for, “C-CLAUDE!”

  
“I’m so glad you’re alright! Man, you’re a badass!”

  
She was not used to people getting touchy with her and a man at that.

  
The only man she’s ever hugged was her father.

  
Her face lit up.

  
“U-Uhm…”  
  
  
Claude parted from her and grabbed her shoulders. He tilted his head and smiled, “What’s the matter? Not used to hugs?”

  
Byleth looked to the side and pouted her lips, “N-Not really… I’ve only ever received hugs from my father and even that is rare these days…” She quietly admitted, embarrassed.

  
Dimitri shot his eyes open and clenched his fists momentarily, before he caught himself, closing his eyes and exhaling a deep breath.

  
Claude’s thick brows furrowed and he made a teary-eyed expression, his cheeks a rosy shade, “You…”

He leaned his face in, “You…”

  
He pressed his forehead against hers, staring directly into her eyes, “You, me, The Golden Deer, and we could make the sparks fly~”

  
The navy haired woman shot her eyes open and parted her lips, her heart rate was increasing and she was starting to feel dizzy.  
  


Suddenly, the Blue Lions leader interjected by pressing a hand on his shoulder and pushing him away as calmly as he could, “I think the Professor can decide for that herself.”  


Edelgard placed a hand on her hip and scoffed, glaring at Claude, “That wasn’t fairly played, Claude.”  
She shook her head, “You shouldn’t get so intimate with the Professor. It is rather unprofessional-- and cheap. Isn’t that right, Professor? …P-Professor?”  


The trio turned to look at her only to find her blushing deeply, her body was even trembling slightly. She had a tired but somewhat wanton expression on her face and was breathing almost audibly through her parted lips.

“W…What?” She managed to speak, knotting her brows and appearing annoyed.  


They blushed and shot their eyes open, “Uh…” Edelgard parted her lips but was unable to say anything so she just let out a nervous laugh and scooted closer to Claude, whispering, “Do you think she’s, like, super touch-sensitive?”  


The tanned male let out a sheepish laugh, blushing as he scratched the back of his neck, “B-But even though… **Isn’t that reaction a bit of an overkill?!** ”

Byleth glared at the duo, now stabbing her sword to the ground and using it as a crux to balance herself, _ _‘What the hell is wrong with me?! I’m more than fine getting close to people when I’m fighting but this…’__ She tutted, looking away from them to wait for her body to return to normal, __‘Pathetic.’  
__

She felt a shadow stretch before her before a familiar gloved hand was lifted up.

  
She looked up to find Dimitri, who looked at her with a kind yet calm expression, “Would you like me to take you to the infirmary?”

Shakily, she moved to place a hand atop of his before the Principal walked in between them, looking at the younger woman, “Before that, Miss Byleth, have you decided on which House you are going to be joining?”

Upon voicing this ultimate question, the class was immediately silent.  
  
Byleth felt everyone's eyes on her.  
  
Thankfully enough, the question alone had already managed to snap her out of her weird daze.  
  
She had regained her posture of strength and confidence again.  
  
"I have already decided which House I will be joining."  
  
Edelgard put her hands together in anticipation whereas Claude was putting on his best winning smile.  
  
Dimitri looked at her nervously, lowering his head upon remembering his earlier blunder. He might have scared her off. __'Why would she want to be with-__ _ _  
__****  
********"The Blue Lions."****  
  
__...me?'__  
  
Dimitri shot his eyes open in disbelief, looking up at Byleth.  
  
His heart started beating rapidly as she looked at him with a determined look.  
  
He parted his lips but was unable to speak.  
  
"I will be joining The Blue Lions." She repeated, this time looking at everyone else then back at Dimitri.  
  
Then, she gracefully bowed down on one knee, placing her elbow over it,  
****  
********"My Lord Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd of Faerghus,"**** She started, her head low,  
  
****"From today henceforth, I shall only fight in your name and honor. I shall teach you all that I know and will continue to better myself to ensure your triumph. Your wishes are my wishes. Your burdens are my burdens. Your enemies...my enemies."**** She closed her eyes, huffing out a silent sigh, "Basically..."  
  
She looked up at him, ****"I am yours."****   
  
Dimitri looked especially stunned and taken aback by that, his blonde brows now furrowed, "...!"  
  
Her lips broke into a warm smile.  
  
The class then abruptly began cheering and clapping.  
  
The Blue Lions especially looked very happy, all gathering around her and Dimitri.  
  
She stood up, feeling slightly embarrassed as she lowered her head and folded a lock of hair behind her ear.  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Ashe jumped, "We secured the Teach!"  
  
"I thought I was going to be stuck in this sausage fest for the rest of my life. It's nice to have another woman around." Ingrid chimed in.  
  
"It is an honor to have you with us, Byleth. Our House will greatly benefit from someone of your caliber." Dedue bowed his head, smiling.  
  
"Uhm... This is so exciting. I was just talking about this to Mercedes last night." Annette smiled the cutest smile, hugging her tome to her chest.  
  
"Little Annette would not stop, Professor. __'I wish Professor Byleth would choose us'__ ' _ _I wish she would join our House.'__ Gods praise her soul, she would not stop." Mercedes added in her soft spoken voice, evidently appearing just as excited as the rest of the group.  
  
"Another lovely lady to the best of Houses! Score one hundred for The Blue Lions!" Sylvain threw his hands in the air, laughing before he wrapped an arm around Felix's shoulder, whom let out a sigh and shook his head. Even so, he still had a smile on his face.  
  
Just then, Edelgard walked up to her and smiled, "I am glad you have finally come to a decision. I know The Blue Lions will do extremely well under your tutelage." She paused then faced the ground, smiling sadly, "...although I won't lie. It did sadden me a bit."  
  
"Edelgard..." Byleth called softly.  
  
The platinum blonde noble shook her head, trying to appear unbothered, "It is alright. **You have sworn yourself to Dimitri now.** I know he appears strong and capable but like many of us here... He needs your guidance. Your advice." She exhaled a long sigh, pouting, "I really needed you with The Black Eagles. I thought with your high preference towards the color black you most certainly would have chosen us for __that__ much at least." She frowned childishly.  
  
Byleth let out a laugh, "Maybe I should start wearing blue tights from now on. Maybe a little blue hair bow with a lion paw embroidered in the middle."  
  
Edelgard giggled, placing a hand on her mouth, "Gods no! That seems like something that former Tumbeau woman would wear."  
  
Byleth giggled, "Right? And wear a matching blue lipstick too."  
  
The blonde let out a cute squeamish sound and shook her head, "No!!!" She laughed, "I just imagined that!"  
  
They both fell into laughter together before the Black Eagles leader stopped and looked at her with an elongated stare, "No... I think black suits you just fine. **It's perfect for you.** "  
  
Byleth looked at her then smirked, closing her eyes, "I could say the same about you and the color red."  
  
"Is that so?" Edelgard blushed, looking down at her stockings, tilting her ankle left and right.  
  
The blonde then cleared her throat, looking up at the Professor again, "Well," She offered her hand to Byleth.  
  
Byleth took it, shaking her hand.  
  
"I hope to see you again," Edelgard's expression suddenly became warm, "My dear Teacher."  
  
"We can still be friends, right?" Byleth asked.  
  
Edelgard blinked at that in surprise, then broke into a wide, happy smile, "Oh! Of course! I-I would so love to-"  
  
Suddenly, a heavy arm was slung around her shoulders.  
  
She felt hot all over again but did her best to hide it.  
  
She looked up to find Claude, whom exhaled an exasperated sigh, "Oh man..."  
  
Edelgard glared, "Claude! Don't get so comfortably close to the teacher. It is rather uncouth and inappropriate!"  
  
He nuzzled in against her hair, taking Byleth by surprise, sniffing, "Let me, man... I'm so sad and heartbroken right now I could cry."  
  
Edelgard regarded him with a sweet warning smile, "You will if you don't let go."  
  
Another exasperated sigh escaped his lips and he slightly parted from Byleth, now holding her by the shoulders and looking down at her.  
  
His fingers were on her bare skin really feeling it down to the very fiber of her being.  
  
She gulped and looked up at him, feeling her face hot, "W-What is it?"  
  
He blushed and pouted, as if he were a berated child, "...what's that Dimitri got that I don't, huh?"  
  
Byleth's eyes widened and her lips parted.  
  
"Claude!" Edelgard slapped him in the shoulder, glaring at him before placing her hands on her shoulders, "What the hell's the matter with you?! …honestly. When will you learn to behave like the noble that you are, huh?"  
  
The Professor faced the ground, not really sure why the question had taken her aback.  
  
__'Dimitri...__  
__  
____I chose Dimitri because I-'__  
  
"... Fine! Fine! I'll congratulate him!" Claude went on in the background, although what interrupted her thoughts was the question, "Where is he, anyway?"  
  
Byleth blinked and looked up, watching as both Claude and Edelgard look around for him.  
  
"Now that you mention it, he's been gone ever since...Hmm…" Edelgard inquired quietly, looking left and right for the blonde noble.  
  
Claude crossed his arms, "For a winner he clearly doesn't look like it now. Maybe he isn't all too happy about it."  
  
"Gods, Claude!"  
  
"What??? I'm just saying..."  
  
That surprised Byleth and made her feel self conscious. Was she too forward? Maybe she imposed too much on what he's already established with his team?  
  
Without realizing it, she placed a hand on her chest, furrowing her brows, "Is... Dimitri unhappy with me?"  
  
She didn't meant to ask that question aloud.  
  
But before she could even take it back, she already got her answer,  
  
****"...that would be impossible."****  
  
She looked up to find Dimitri standing closely in front of her. She noticed he was holding her discarded clothes in his arms neatly, which took her by surprise.  
  
"...I could never…possibly… be unhappy with you." He continued.  
  
This immediately caused the corners of her lips to curl to a giddy smile.  
  
Her cheeks felt warm and her heart started beating rapidly.  
  
Why did that make her feel so relieved and happy?  
  
"...that's... that's relieving!" She looked up at him and laughed. It was as if she were a child being praised for doing good.  
  
__’Ah. This feeling…’__  
  
It's the same as with her father when she was a child.  
__  
____'Good job, Byleth!'__ He'd say as she'd swing her tiny wooden sword around in the same manner in which he taught her.  
  
She'd practiced everyday, just having her dad praise her gave her a push and this odd sensation of wanting to please.  
  
Her father would pat her head, __'Someday, you're going to learn to fight for yourself, Byleth.'__ _ _  
____  
____'Fight for my...self?'__ _ _  
__  
She'd never gotten quite the same thrill in all her years of fighting after that.  
  
What was her purpose? What was she fighting for? Who...?  
  
She'd only learned to better herself to be the best for her father. She wanted him to be proud of her.  
  
And he was... He always was...  
  
So what's next in line for her? Who was going to give her direction next? There was this ticking sense of nihilism within her that she'd kept well secured in the confines of her personality.  
  
But Dimitri...  
  
Now, she has someone to direct her.  
  
__His battlefield will be my stage...__ _ _  
____  
____And I will dance and act for him, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over-__ _ _  
__  
Dimitri watched as Byleth laughed in a childish but endearing manner.  
  
He'd never heard her laugh like that.  
  
Neither of the trio did.  
  
It tugged at his heart.  
  
There was something so obscure about this woman that he could not help but be incredibly interested in.  
  
She was like the forbidden apple, the more he watched, the more he wanted to take a bite.  
  
He...  
  
He gently hiked her robe around her toned shoulders as he stood behind her, taking her soft hair out from within the collars of her robe in the process.  
  
She looked at him from the corner of her eye, a hand on her nape as she tried to fox her hair even more.  
  
His hand lingered on the locks of her hair.  
  
"...hello?!" Suddenly, Claude was standing by Dimitri, playfully knocking at his head, "Earth to Dimitri? We've been talking to you for a while now."  
  
Edelgard regarded them with a particular knowing look, pouting her lips.  
  
Claude sighed in defeat and put his hands up, "Honestly... You two weird me out when you're together. It's like you ignore everyone else on the-"  
  
"Byleth." Dimitri started, placing a hand on Byleth's shoulder, "Let's go."  
  
Before anyone had the chance to speak, Dimitri grabbed her hand and took her out of the class.  
  
He walked so fast to the point where he started running with her.  
  
They ran outside into the Monastery, so far away from the ruckus and everyone else.  
  
He stopped so they could catch their breaths, he was still holding her things under one arm.  
  
Byleth panted and offered to take them before he shook his head, "Please... Allow me..." He said, his pants become slower.  
  
Sweat dripped down from his blonde bangs and he looked at her, her cheeks rosy from running so much, her large chest heaving up and down as she panted.  
  
Suddenly, both of her hands were cupping his face, and she looked him directly in the eyes, a playful but smug expression on her face, "Look at you..."  
  
He blushed and shot his eyes open.  
  
And before he could even ask what she meant, she wiped one of her thumbs underneath his nose.  
  
_A nosebleed?!_  
  
"Wha...-"  
  
She leaned in closer against him to steady his head, her breasts were pressed to his chest, "Shh... **I will take care of you.** "  
  
He felt like his legs were about to melt.  
  
"Byleth..." He breathed.  
  
She smiled, wiping at the remains of the blood with the hem of her robe, "Don't worry. It's not nearly as bad as you think."  
  
"Byleth, I..."  
  
"We already passed the Infirmary. You weren't planning on taking me there right from the start, were you?"  
  
**"Take me to your room."** He said.  
  
Byleth padded at the remaining blood with her other sleeve before she pulled away.  
  
"My room?" She repeated.  
  
He looked at her seriously, "I want to be alone with you."  
  
She blinked at him in surprise, cheeks rosy.

  
Then she broke out into a giggle, placing a hand on her mouth.

He always loved the sound of her laugh.  
  
She whirled around childishly and began walking, her hands crossed behind her back, still giggling.

He slowly followed behind.

  
“ **Daddy’s going to absolutely kill you!~** ” She broke into a laugh and looked at him over her shoulder, winking.

“I don’t blame him.” He responded, a warm smile overtaking his lips.

“Hmm~” She tilted her head to the side, still not facing him as she continued walking.

  
He reached a hand out then held it back-- he took quicker steps and stood in front of her, stopping her.

  
“Byleth.” He started, seriously.

She looked up at him innocently, smiling as she formed a small ‘o’ with her lips, “What is it, my oh-so-dashing Lord?~” She stood on her tippy-toes and teasingly leaned in against him as she said that.

  
He inhaled a deep breath, thinking of his wording carefully…

  
He exhaled.  


**“I want you.”** That was a lot more simple and blunt than he had intended.

  
But maybe that was the best approach.

  
She still retained that innocent look of hers before she tilted her head, shrugging her shoulder,

  
**“You got me.”  
  
**

She said that so simply.  


Dimitri’s blush deepened and he knotted his brows before he grabbed her shoulder, “No, I mean-”  


…but he wasn’t able to finish as she stood on the tips of her toes again and ever so gently, pecked his cheek.

  
His shoulders slumped and his legs felt wobbly.

This time, it was Byleth that stared at him in a kind and loving way, moving a hand up to cup his cheek.

  
That expression… He wondered if she’d looked at anyone else like that before. He’d like to believe that he was the only one.

  
Her hands were so smooth it was hard to believe that she had participated in many battles prior to joining the Monastery.

  
She looked into his eyes, as if she were searching for something.

  
Then, she asked,

  
**“What do you see in me, Dimitri?”**  


His lips started moving on their own, it was as if his heart was doing the talking,

“When I look at you, I see…” He cupped her face in his hands, furrowing his brows and smiling lovingly at her,

“I see **_**_you,_**_** Byleth.”

  
She gasped and shot her eyes open, brows furrowed and lips parted.

Her hair appeared to be a shade of green all of a sudden. Was it always like that?

He leaned his face in close to hers, inching his lips closer…  


“N-Not here…” She looked away, unable to calm her rapidly beating heart.

  
“Byleth-” She quickly placed the pads of her fingers on his lips, “Please… Don’t say another word for now.”

  
She reached her hand down and grabbed his larger hand.

Wordlessly, they made their way to her room.

  
**. . .  
**

Upon entering her room, she turned around as she began to lock the door.

He set her belongings aside on a nearby table, his eyes never leaving her. He was completely entranced.

  
Her room was fairly neat and lit. It was warm, and smelled like her, which only added to his euphoria.

  
That musky perfume she always puts on…

She pressed her forehead against her door’s surface and seemed to buckle her shoulders all of a sudden.

  
_Was she shy?_

  
He couldn’t help a smile, __‘Cute…’__ He thought.  


Slowly, she turned around, facing downward still, her cheeks a lovely shade of red.

She leaned against the door behind her, pressing her cleaned fists by her side, as if steadying herself not to fall.

Byleth looked up at him and watch as he suddenly wore a serious expression.

Despite feeling hot, it sent chills through her.

  
He did not break eye-contact as he took his gloves off, dropping them beneath him as he crossed his way towards her.

The moment the pads of his fingers made contact with her skin, she exhaled a shaky breath and leaned her head back. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

He cupped her face with his large hands, gently scaling his fingers over the contours of her lovely smooth skin.

  
He’s wanted to touch her…for so long.

  
**“You are so beautiful…”  
  
**

His breath was so warm and tickled her skin, it sent a jolt down her spine…

He ran his thumbs underneath her eyes smoothly…

  
Suddenly, he pressed his lips on her forehead.

  
Her breath hitched as his lips began to travel ever so softly over her temples, her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes, the tip of her nose, her eyes, her cheeks…

He gently caressed his thumb over her lips, ghosting it down to her lower lip.

  
…and before she knew it, he replaced his finger with his lips.

  
He kissed her.  


She inhaled, her heart was beating so fast she could die.

  
Her eyes were slowly fluttering shut and it was just then that she realized how long and lovely Dimitri’s eyelashes were.

Dimitri cupped her face with one hand and scaled the other down to the side of her neck, steadying her as he began kissing her.

  
It was growing more and more difficult to keep his restraint.  


A flutter of emotions filled his insides as his lips touched hers.

  
__More… I need more…__

  
Slowly, he parted from her lips, breathing heavily.

His chest heaved up and down, constantly pressing up against hers.  


Unable to restrain his patience, his hand moved to the back of her head, while the other firmly grabbed her shoulder.  
  
He kissed her again-- this time deeper.  
  
__'...he tasted like tea.'__ She thought, nearly melting under his touch.  
  
Her hands shakily traveled to his broad back,  
  
_'Closer...'_ She thought, kissing him back with an equal amount of vigor.  
  
_'I want to be closer with this man...'_ She remembered thinking, pushing her chest against his to the point that it hurt because of his armor.  
  
"Dimitri..." She breathed as their lips slowly parted, both of them catching their breaths.  
  
She moved her hands up to his chest, looking up at him,  
  
"I want to be with you..." She admitted, her voice so soft, vulnerable, and a higher pitch than usual.  
  
He shot his eyes open upon her saying that.  
  
Her heart beat rapidly against his armored chest. It hurt.  
  
She wanted more.  
  
She cupped the side of his handsome face,  
  
"Take me."  
  
Those words seemed to have immediately triggered something within him as his eyes darkened and he pushed his lips against hers again. This time, his kiss was more tender and passionate yet there was that slight roughness and possessiveness to it. He even dared run his hands down to the side of her chest and went all the way back to her rear.  
  
His hand squeezed one of her large breasts which earned him a sharp gasp from her as she threw her head back. He smirked coldly against her lips at that reaction and gently bit and tugged at her lower lip.  
  
_'Biting, huh...?'_ She didn't think he was the type.  
  
He encircled his hand to the back of her thigh and lifted her leg up, buckling it around his waist.  
  
He grunted before he grinded his hips against her, this time earning him a louder gasp.  
  
He breathed heavily, burrowing his nose into her hair and nibbling on her ear.  
  
He lowered his lips down to her collar bone and teasingly brushed his teeth against it, holding himself back from biting her there.  
  
He inhaled her scent deeply. She smelled like the hot summer ear and her musky perfume that blended in with her sweat, increasing his hunger. He rolled his tongue against her now protruding collar bone, tasting her. He licked the sweat from her neck all the way up to her chin.  
  
He felt her shaking beneath him.  
  
She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him again, moaning against his lips as he continued grinding against her.  
  
He suddenly lifted her other leg up and carried her all the way to her bed.  


The bed creaked as the two of the two of them collided against one another, their lips all over each other, hands drifting all over their bodies.  


Byleth sat up on the bed and crawled towards the blonde, undoing his shoulder’s sword holster, his cape… She cupped the side of his face and nipped at his ear and neck.

He slid his hands inside her shirt, feeling her skin underneath.

  
She squirmed upon feeling that very same hand slide up to her breast. She buckled because of his touch, dropping her forehead against his shoulder.

  
Dimitri smiled, looking at her panting against him on her shoulders,

  
“Are you okay?” He asked softly, furrowing his brows.

  
Breathing heavily, she simply nodded against him.

  
He chuckled throatily before he ghosted his fingers over her nipple, earning him a loud gasp, clenching against him.

  
“...asshole!” She grit her teeth.

  
Dimitri let out another chuckle, “Edelgard was right… You really are hyper sensitive to the touch.” He burrowed his nose into her hair, whispering into her ear, “I wonder how you will react to more intimate touching…hmm, Byleth?”  


She panted against him, placing her hand on one of his shoulders to steady herself. She was unable to retort back, which seemed to please him as he continued whispering haughtily into her ear, “…you’re shaking like a leaf. Poor girl. In this case… I’m not quite sure whether or not to feel sorry for you…  
  
**I’ve no means to leave any spot in your body unexplored.**  
  
With my hands…my lips…” He slid his hand under her bra and he felt her hand squeeze his shoulder.

  
“You’ve already sworn yourself to me… And I’ve been a good student to boot. Surely you will allow me that much?”

  
His voice was so hot against her ear.

Dimitri lifted her head up and looked deeply into her eyes, now smiling warmly at her,

“Don’t worry… I will take care of you.” He leaned his lips closer to hers again, “…as you have of me.” He breathed against her lips before kissing her again.  


He took her shirt off, tossing it to the side.

She shivered at the sudden cold against her damp skin and wrapped her arms around her chest, covering her lacy see-through black bra.

  
She watched Dimitri coolly take his own shirt off. Despite how difficult and elaborate it looked to put on such an outfit, he seamlessly took it off with ease.

Upon taking his shirt off, she shot her eyes open at his, “Puh…Perfect abs!” She suddenly gawked and without realizing it, shakily reached out to touch them before realizing that his eyes were on her chest.

Gasping, she swatted her hands back and covered her chest again, whirling around and frowning in embarrassment, “Damn…distracted me.” She tutted childishly, sneaking a peak at his perfect chiseled abs again. His body wasn’t marred with a single scar. His body was glistening with sweat and she thought he looked absolutely-

“How long are you going to keep staring?” He knotted his brows and leaned in close against her, his hands over her forearms. He had a rosy tint over his cheeks, “Regardless of how I may look and behave outside of these closed doors, I am still a man. My tolerance has its limits.”  


She sighed and looked to the side smugly, tightening her hug of her chest, “Boys these days and their libido… Shouldn’t your tolerance be higher? You’re still young…” She was obviously looking for ways to distract him so he wouldn’t see her bra, nervously giggling and whirling around when he tried to undo her hold of her breasts, “…h-how old did you say you were again? Seventeen, right?”  


He frowned and whirled her around to face him, “Eighteen.”

  
“Oh! Eighteen!” She let out a nervous laugh, trying to whirl around again but she couldn’t due to his tightening grip of her.

  
“I’ve already taken a peak. It’s too late now.” His eyes darkened.  


She pouted at him, “T-Then that should be enough, right?” She tried to push herself up, “I’ll just go to the bathroom and take it off myself.”  


“No! Then what’s the point?” He responded sternly.  


__‘Why was she so embarrassed about showing me her bra?’__ He thought to himself, not releasing his grip of her forearms.  


He could easily undo her hold of her breasts but he didn’t want to risk hurting her.

  
Maybe he should just let her go to the bathroom and get it over with-  
  


_No.  
_

He knotted his brows and squinted his eyes in determination.  


He had to see her bra!  


He will not admit defeat!

  
His eyes traveled to her toned and lean stomach and it immediately hit him.  


Byleth watched him in horror- those brilliant blue eyes were suddenly so calculating. She can practically watch the gears working in his head.  
  


__‘What…What was he planning?!’__ She followed where his gaze went.

  
She gasped, “Y-You wouldn’t.”  


He grinned and readied his hands.  
  


She parted her lips to tell him to stop but all that erupted out of her lips was laughter as he began to tickle her.  
  


She could barely even form a coherent sentence, “Di…” She snickered, laughing, “…mitri!.. Sto..” Her grip of her chest loosened without her realizing, “…gods, you’re…”  


Her laughter was so nice… He thought.  


But he needed to stay focused on the mission and the moment her grip was loose enough, he grabbed both of her wrists and pinned her down.

He grinned victoriously, “Gotcha!”  


Her laughter slowly died down and before she realized what was happening, she gasped as he…

Her face lit up red and she turned to look to the side, “Don’t look!”

Dimitri’s eyes widened.

“This is…”  


Byleth was wearing a lacy and see-through black bra with a single kitty paw covering her nipples on each side.  


It also had a cute little silver bell with a loose pink ribbon in the middle.  
  


. . .

She tutted as she slowly opened her eyes, frowning still, “You should learn to listen to your elders, y’know? I feel like I could die no-”  


Suddenly, she felt a cold drop of liquid on her chest.  


Arching an eyebrow, she turned to look up to find that Dimitri still had that dark look on his eyes, his gaze focused on her chest, eyes wide.  


…and his nose was bleeding.

  
Byleth gasped, “Dimitri! Your nose!”

She sat up, “Wait, I’ll go get a-”

He stopped her by grabbing her forearm in a steely grip.

She turned to look at him, his entire expression has darkened.

Byleth watched as he aggressively but slowly use his other hand to wipe at the blood of his nose, dirtying his hands and her bed in the process.

  
He slowly looked up at her, his eyes cold but focused.

Her jaw dropped and she shot her eyes open, “Wh-What’s with that look?! You’re not going to start spouting some weird shit like ‘Come to Daddy,’ are you?!”  


He leaned his face closer to hers, “No.” His eyes pierced right through hers.  


Then, he leveled his head down to her chest and he nodded as he closed his eyes, “Mm. This is a very good bra. Excellent, even.” He opened his eyes and did a praying gesture with his hands, “Thank you for keeping Byleth’s breasts safe for me, **Pawbra.** ” He looked completely serious as he leaned his face in close and lifted the little bell in the middle with his finger. His cheeks darkened in color, “It chimes, even.” He closed his eyes, nodding, “Mm. Excellent. Very cute.”  


“...in turn, you will be treated with exception. You will not be discarded on the ground. **Thank you, Pawbra.** ” He placed a peck on the tiny bell.  


Byleth furrowed her brows, actually feeling moved, “Dimitri…”

She blushed,

**“Are you actually thanking my bra? That’s so…”**

He nodded sternly again, placing his hands on her shoulders as he turned her around, “Now, I must treat them with the love and respect they deserve.”  
  


“Wa-” She started--  


She didn’t have time to finish before he quickly undid her clasp.

  
So quickly that her bra flew right across the room as the cold chilling air hit her large breasts.

Dimitri shot his eyes open.  


. . .

  
A drop of sweat slid down to side of his forehead.  


He should have expected this.

The Pawbra did look like it barely held her breasts together.

  
But to suffer such a severe defeat like that…

Byleth blushed and hugged her bare breasts, “It…It was one size too small.” She excused, scowling, “…w-well, maybe TWO sizes too small!” She shook her head, suddenly teary-eyed, “It was the last piece and I spent my last salary on it… **I killed brigands to buy this bra!** ” She yelled.  


He looked to where the Pawbra flew off, stunned, “You killed it…”

“No, __you__ killed it! That was my favorite, too!” She grit her teeth, “Y-You’re going to have to buy me another one, you bastard!”

Dimitri closed his eyes, “Two sizes too small and it still held on. That was a champion of a bra…” He looked down at her, “But in the end, it ultimately lost to your breasts.”  


She looked up at him, blinking. Suddenly, her blush darkened and she looked to the side, “Dimitri…”

**“...I’m wearing matching panties.”**

**. . . . .**

“...casualties lost that day, my sweet Pawbra and our virginity.” Byleth stated quietly, pointing a finger out.  


They were walking side by side in the halls.  


Sothis did a praying gesture, “Gone but never forgotten, Byleth.”  


“Not my Pawnties. Those are gone. He stole them.” She sighed, shaking her head.  


Sothis arched an eyebrow, “It’s those, uh… It’s the little things that count!”  


Byleth nodded, confidently walking down the corridors, enjoying the attention she was getting due to her outfit. She flipped a hand through her hair in a sassy manner.  
  


“It was a good story.” The little green haired girl said, dancing around Byleth playfully, “Dimitri sure has come along way since then.”  
  


The taller woman frowned now opening up a book and covering the lower part of her face as she walked.  
  


“...I miss the old Dimitri. He was cuter.” She blushed as she added the last part, eyelids dropping halfway, “…much cuter.”  
  


Sothis furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at her, now walking by her side, “You guys don’t really see eye-to-eye much these days, huh?”  
  


“Hardly,” Byleth flipped through some of the pages in her book absentmindedly, “We don’t get along at all.”  
  


“Well... I don’t think he hates you.”

  
Byleth got quiet for a while, her eyes distant.

  
“...sometimes **I wish he did.** ”

* * *

The entire room quieted upon Dimitri’s entry and he sat down at the center of the table, the map was stretched before him among many other papers.  


He placed his hands on the table, his eye staring at the figurines spread about on the map.  


“...Sir? Lord Dimitri…sir?”  


A small-framed trooper approached him. He doesn’t even remember his name.

He wordlessly looked at him.

The small-statured man shrunk even lower upon being looked at by Dimitri. Nervously, he took out some papers.  


“...Lord Dimitri, I was wondering if you wanted to start the meeting now?”

The blonde Commander gestured a lazy hand out, “Do you see Byleth anywhere in this room?”

“Uh…No, Sir.”

Dimitri squinted his eye at him, __‘Bastard didn’t even attempt to look.’  
__

Deciding not to waste his time with this grunt, he turned around and faced the map again, “Then the meeting won’t start.”

“Oh… It’s just that… The m-meeting’s already supposed to have started o-over an h-hour ago, Sir, s-so…-”

He clenched his fists, doing his best to keep his composure.

  
“Then you will wait another hour.”

  
“W-Well do…do you m-mind looking at these pla...plans until then, …s-Sir?”

Without moving an inch, the moment the low-life inched closer to him, Dimitri roughly smacked the papers away, not even bothering to look at the small vermin.

“Meeting doesn’t start without Byleth.” He concluded, as coolly as he could.

Papers flew everywhere.

There was a loud yelp and a leaking sound followed by a foul stench of urine.

The blonde turned to look.

The man was stunned in his spot and had pissed himself.

Everyone was looking at him.

Ashe and Sylvain ran towards the man, speaking softly to him before taking him outside.  


Ingrid called for someone to come in and clean.

  
Mercedes walked up behind Dimitri and tried to gently place her hands on his broad shoulders, cooing him before he roughly shrugged her hands off.  


“...and if she doesn’t show within one hour?” Felix joined him, now standing next to him and leaning against the table.  


Like a statue, Dimitri still didn’t move an inch, “Then you will wait another hour.”  


“...and if she doesn’t show up then?”  
  


“Another hour.”  
  


“...what if she doesn’t show up at all?”  
  


“She will.”  
  


Felix let out a scoff, now looking to the side,  
“Listen, Boar… After what happened with Edelgard, I don’t think we should bring Byleth in for this one.”  
  


Dimitri shot his childhood friend an icy glare.  
  


Felix furrowed his brows at him, “…you’re destroying her, man.”  
  
  
“You’re destroying yourself.” He continued.  
  


Dimitri looked away from him, “I would like to be left alone now.” He tried to stay as polite as he could, facing the figurines again.  
  


Wordlessly, Felix pushed himself off the table and walked away.  
  


Unintentionally, his own hand ghosted itself over his lost eye and the pain of the memory shot right through it again.

  
He grit his teeth in pain and faced downward.  


He didn’t want anyone to look at him.  
  


He just had to endure.  
  


A tut escaped his lips.  
  


A way he always pulled through the pain…  
  


He would…

**_**_“Something on your mind?”_ ** _ **

. . . . . memories of __her.__

He closed his eye to relish in the memory…  


Warm water was gently poured on his head, washing away the foamy soap on his hair.

  
Gentle fingers carded through his hair, massaging his scalp.  
  


“There is always so much on my mind, Byleth…” He answered, his eyes still closed.

  
“Hmm…”  


They were in the bath together.

A bubble bath that Byleth prepared with her select types of oils, soaps, and perfumes…  
  


She was always so finicky about these things.  
  


“I thought she was going to eat my head off.” He started.  
  


Byleth poured more water on his head, now she was done shampooing his hair.

  
“Who?” She asked.  
  


He fluttered his eyes open- “Wait,” She said as she leaned in close again and he shut his eyes.

Her thumb brushed his eyebrow, “There was a little left on your eyebrow.”

He opened his eyes, “Madam Manuela.” He sighed, frowning, “Did you see the way she looked at me when I came to your room?”

Byleth leaned back against the bath, now sitting on the opposite side of him. Her hair was in an unruly updo, exposing her lovely neck. Her chest was covered by the water.

He’d seen her naked many times at this point yet it always made his blood boil every time he did.  


The bath was small and it just barely fit the two of them.  


Byleth sighed and tilted her head back. She leaned her bare elbows against the ledge of the bath.  
  


“Who cares?” She responded, now looking at him, “I keep telling you to be more confident.”

  
Dimitri lifted one of her legs up and planted a kiss on her feet.

  
“...keep your head up. Don’t leave anyone room to- …w-what are you doing?”

  
He gently bit on one of her toes and grinned, “Making you nervous.”

  
She blushed and pouted, “This isn’t the first time I’ve let you seen me naked, you know…”

  
He lowered her foot down into the water, “I guess that makes four.”

  
She scoffed, grinning, “Pretty sure we’ve done it way more than four times.”

  
“Beauty marks.” He corrected, reaching for her hand and tugging her towards him.

  
“Four, huh?” She breathed before she let out a hiss as he nibbled at one of her nipples, his thumbs forming circles around her hips.

  
He kissed her chest.

  
“You’ve been counting?”

  
He licked at the crevice in between her chest, “I have.”

  
He pulled her even closer towards him to the point that her chest was now pressed up against his.

  
He planted kisses on her jawline, burrowing his nose into her hair, “There is one behind your left ear…right by your hairline…”

  
He kissed it.

  
“That’s one.” She smiled, resting her hands on his chest.  


He lifted her right hand, “There’s a very faint one on your wrist, just atop of your veins, barely visible… So barely…” He breathed.

  
He kissed it.

  
“...and that’s two.” She let out a gasp as he suddenly lifted her up and had her sit by the ledge, "H-Hey, are you trying to knock this thing over? It’s barely holding together as is.”  


He lifted her right foot up, “One in between your toes- your middle one.”

He kissed it.

She blushed as she frowned, looking to the side, “Your newest discovery.”

She was grabbing on to the ledge so she wouldn’t fall.

Byleth began to breathe heavily as she felt him inching his head closer, leveling his head to her-

He firmly grabbed her right thigh, smirking, “…and there’s one right at the very inside of your thigh.”

He kissed it, lingering on it before-

Her chest heaved up and down and she forced a smirk, “Y-Your favorite one…huh?”

She gripped on the ledge tighter.

Byleth let out a shaky gasp and threw her head back as he burrowed his lips deeper in between her legs, filling her with everlasting euphoria…  
  
  


**. . . . .**

The door opened.  


A familiar musky perfume filled his nostrils.  


He opened his eye and watched the woman whom he used to be so close to but now so far away from walk in.

She donned a different outfit-- something too distracting and attractive, in his mind.

She had a confident smile on, as she always did when she was a Professor at the Monastery.

She always told him to be confident-- if he would spent any time dwelling too much on his mistakes he would come off as weak and people would take advantage of that.

She’d taught him that. She made him stronger in that line of thought among many other things.

He watched as Felix approached her, really wanting to seem agitated with her tardiness,

“You’re late.” He said.

“Fashionably?” Ingrid approached her, as well, arching a brow and crossing her arms.

Sylvain peeked in behind his blonde girlfriend, obnoxiously ogling at the green haired woman’s breasts, “Nice-- I mean, You’re pretty late.”

“Sylvain, I’m going to slap you now.” Ingrid smiled threateningly, catching onto him.  


“Wow… You look and smell really nice, Teacher.” Annette walked in, smiling.

Ingrid put her hands up and sighed, frowning, “Guys, we’re supposed to be mad at her.”

Annette suddenly looked concerned, “W-We are?” She tilted her head.

Ingrid closed her eyes and crossed her arms, “Yes, she’s over an hour late. There’s no class today. Byleth should have known be-” She stopped upon sniffing at something…rich and…sweet.  


The blonde opened one eye and her jaw dropped as Byleth had taken out a large bar of chocolate, unwrapping it and taking a bite, all the while not breaking eye-contact with her.

__‘That she-demon!’__ Thought the blonde.

Byleth tilted her head, savoring in the rich taste of chocolate in her mouth, “Oh, I’m sorry, Ingrid. Did I break your concentration?”  


The blonde tutted, blushing, “W-Well… Whatever. It’s n-not like one bar of my favorite gourmet chocolate is enough to-”

The Professor procured two more chocolate bars from underneath the large coat she was holding in her other arm.

The blonde practically drooled,

“I…I…” She snatched the chocolate bars from Byleth, including the one she was eating, grinning eerily, “FINE!”

She hugged the large chocolate bars, “…better than fine. I can’t imagine how much these chocolates have costed… And there’s always barely any left!”  


She took a large bite out of the opened one, moaning, “Mmmsogood!”  


The group watched her strangely.

She always did lose herself when it came to delicious food.  


“At least she is happy.” Mercedes added quietly, blinking in disbelief, “…heavens. She’s almost done with the first bar.”  


Ingrid frowned and glared at Byleth, “Well? Out with it. **Who’s dick are you sucking to get this chocolate?** ”  


The group blushed at the question.  


Sylvain laughed nervously, putting a hand up, “H-Hey now…”

Ashe sighed and looked to the side, “…still, sucking a man’s, uh, y’know… for chocolate? Isn’t that a bit much?”

Felix sweat-dropped and massaged the back of his neck, shutting his eyes.

Ingrid swallowed the last bit of chocolate from the first bar and aggressively leaned in towards Ashe, “I KNOW HOW MUCH THESE THINGS COST!” She yelled at him as she waved the second chocolate bar around and began unwrapping it, “The salesperson is a pretentious asshole who keeps going around about how it’s IMPORTED goods and how this chocolate will make you weak in the- seriously? GIVE ME THAT!” Ingrid snatched the other two chocolate bars that Byleth handed over.

She bit on her new chocolate, chewing and glaring icily at Byleth, “Now I know you’re really bedding someone for these goods, you demon!”

Byleth sighed and shook her head. She lifted her hands up nonchalantly as she exited the circle the group formed around her, “Sorry to disappoint but there was no dick-sucking involved in this transaction. I’ve just done him some favors in the past.”

Dimitri watched her quietly as she carried on conversing with the group.

He didn’t like the vulgarity of the subject but he couldn’t help but have that inner sense of fascination as she seamlessly rolled with any subject she was thrown with in almost no effort.

She set her coat by her side on the table, digging her hands into it.

The group began to walk back to their spots around the table, still chatting away and whining at Ingrid’s eating habits.

“...did those favors involve getting a little too familiar with-”

“Again with that?” Sylvain sighed.

“...that chocolate must be really something, huh?” Ashe asked sheepishly.

“Oh… I had more.” She took one out and was about to hand it to the silverette, “Would you like to try it?”

“Now I really know you’re sucking the owner’s dick!” Ingrid jumped next to Byleth and snatched the chocolate away from her, “GIVE IT HERE!” earning her a frown from the freckled man.

Byleth closed her eyes to take in a deep breath. She felt his eye on her as well as the rest of the troops. They were all mad at her but not her friends. They tried to scold her but in the end they all fell into banter with her so naturally.

It was such a familial feeling.

Still though… She did feel horrible and guilty despite it not being her fault. She wasn’t aware of this last minute pitch meeting, The last minute class cancellation…

It’s all __his__ fault.

She opened her eyes, Sothis was now sitting on the table right cross from her and facing her, resting her chin against her hands and rocking her feet as she looked up at the woman, “…you came here expecting to get chewed out but ended up being accused of sucking a man’s dick for chocolate. Who wrote this script?”

Byleth’s eyes wandered to the center of the table to where he stood and without realizing it, she was glaring at him.

__…he’s the one who put me up in this spot. He didn’t ask anyone to deliver the news to me because he wanted to isolate me further. I imagine he showed up in the class to tell me but ended up watching me sleep instead.  
_ _

He watched her quietly. Her hair appearing lighter and lighter in color until it was a minty green.

__‘Fascinating…’__ He thought.  


Her hair always seemed to light up around him these days. Does he have that much of an impact on her? Just what was going on in that head of hers, he wondered.  
  


She appeared upset with him for one reason or the other. He can only imagine why…  


The tension between them was so heavy that even their friends noticed.

They’ve never been as close as they used to be.

To think that they used to be-  
__  
__

__…what was going through his head as he silently watched me sleep today?  
  
_ _

__That I’m a failure of a teacher. Incompetent. Can’t even stay awake-  
  
_ _

Her glaring at him was now so noticeable that the group started looking at her in confusion.

“Hey~~ Byleth~~~” Sothis snapped her fingers over the woman’s face, earning her attention, breaking her of her glare.

Byleth snapped her head back at Sothis momentarily, before looking away as to not cause confusion among her group. Instead she faced the ground.

Sothis huffed her cheeks and reverted back to her earlier sitting position, sighing, “There’s so much heavy tension between you guys… You could probably cut through it with a knife. Your hair was a mess too. Try to avoid stressing yourself especially when you’re around other colleagues. We don’t want any incidents.”  
  


Byleth gripped her fists.

Sothis was right.  


She needed to keep herself under control.  


It’s no fair getting everyone else worried.

Dimitri stood up.

He towered over everyone in the room.

He was already tall before but now he was just massive.

His eye landed on Felix and he nodded at him.

“Right.” He started, standing across the table, across the blonde now.

“I’ve received word from my men about four hours ago that there have been sightings of The Golden Deer.”

This seemed to immediately concern Byleth.

“Remember, Byleth… Calm and poised. Calm…poised…” Sothis reminded.

Dimitri knew all of this so instead, he kept his entire attention focused on Byleth. His eye studying her every reaction. The topic of The Golden Deer already earned him one. She appeared concerned all of a sudden.

“...in a nearby town. Their Commander, Claude von Riegan, has sent a letter with a messenger.” Felix went on.

Byleth shot her eyes open, “Wait!” She unintentionally put a hand out, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

“Byleth, remember what I-” But Sothis didn’t get a chance to finish as the woman gasped upon suddenly being the center of attention.

“What did the letter say?” She didn’t even let him get to that part but she couldn’t stop herself. Suddenly, immensely fearful and worried.

Felix looked at Byleth then Dimitri.

Byleth followed his gaze, slowly looking up at Dimitri, who seemed to have his eye fixed on her right from the start.

He suddenly wore an agitated look, wrinkling his brows as he scoffed, barring his teeth out as he grit them angrily.

It was the most expressive she’d seen him in a while.

And he appeared as some kind of feral beast.

It sent a shiver through her especially when he glared at her in what appeared to be an actual threatening way, ****“It doesn’t matter.”**** The tone of his voice raised a bit.

The group had watched in silence, suddenly feeling very nervous.

Sothis quietly looked at Byleth and put her hands up in an appeasing manner, “Byleth, don’t ask questions-”

However nothing seemed to phase Byleth as she shot her eyes open upon Dimitri’s response. Her lips parted and her throat felt dry.

She didn’t break free of Dimitri’s gaze,

“Where…Where is the Messenger now?”

Dimitri continued to glare at her.

Felix’s eyes wandered between the two of them.

“Dead.” He answered.

Byleth felt her heart sink.

“...we tried to take him in for questioning but he had immediately swallowed poison upon delivering the letter.” Felix continued, clenching his fists,

“He died before he reached the holding blocks.”

“Felix…” Byleth started, not looking away from Dimitri.

“What did the letter say?” Her voice was low and icy.

Dimitri clenched his fists.

“He said…” Felix started but he knew if he spoke his best friend would never forgive him.

He also could not put Byleth in that position.

“...I cannot say. I’m sorry.” Felix quietly answered.

Byleth was shaking yet she did her best to steel herself.

She didn’t even need Sothis to tell her that her hair was an absolute mess right now. She wouldn’t even be surprised if it had now changed to white permanently.

Byleth’s lips barely twisted to a grin for a split second as she said, “…you’re a coward.”

Dimitri knotted his brows, “Watch.your.mouth, **_**_Woman._**_** ”

She gulped,

“...put me on the front lines.”

****“No.”**** The blonde coolly responded.

She gasped at this, her chest heaving up and down. She was already sweating so much due to her stress and anger. Her nails dug so deeply into her palms she probably drew blood.

“I can fight. for. my.self.”

Then, with no regard for her feelings, he said,  


“You will be called in during his final moments.”

  
Chillingly, he added, “Just like last time.”

Immediately getting flashbacks of Edelgard, Byleth panted and slammed her fist to the table, glaring furiously at the blonde as she breathed angrily through her nose.

The entire room was silenced after that.

She felt like he had taken her heart and squeezed it, bleeding it dry and slowing its pumps.

“B…Byleth?” Sothis called out in concern.

Byleth’s eyes were wide and glassy.

She shot Dimitri one last glare before she bolted outside.  
  


**. . .**

As she ran out, her heart ached immensely and it clenched.

She lost control of her body as she just continued running.

It rained outside and it was already dark.

Byleth faced upward and let out a thunderous scream, tears falling down her face.

“Byleth, wait!” Sothis yelled, calling after her as she ran behind her.

Byleth’s ankle sprained and her heel broke, finally being the cause to stop her uncontrollable movements.

Her knees gave in to the damp soil and finally…

For what felt like an eternity,

She finally cried.

Her head felt like it was going to split and she so wished it did.

She moved her hands up and dug her nails into her now damp scalp.

Shakily, she lowered her hands to notice there was blood inside her nails, her palms.

The rain washed it away.  


It rained during that horrific day too.  


Dimitri’s words rung in her ear, “…just like before.” She repeated quietly, getting an immediate flashback.

**  
. . . . .**

They had just beaten The Black Eagles.

She watched in horror as Dimitri didn’t even spare more than two seconds as the woman in red fell to her back, walking past Byleth.

Byleth’s bloodied hand and sword were shaky.

The rain drops slid into her bloodied sword, unable to fully clean it.

How many lives had she taken already? She’d become so numb to it all.

Quietly, she walked towards the beautiful woman that appeared to be breathing her very last breaths, watching the cloudy gray sky. The rain pouring all over her face and body.

The blood from her wound poetically spread behind her, blending in with her dress.

Byleth thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

She furrowed her brows and watched her quietly.

Edelgard’s amethyst eyes that were recently so cold now appeared at peace.

Her flame gave out.

Her eyes found Byleth’s,

**“That’s quite the look, My Teacher…”** The pale blonde woman started ever so softly and quietly, her chest heaving up and down.

Byleth fell to her knees next to her, dropping her sword by her side, “I’m so sorry…”

“Please…” Slowly, she shook her head.  


“...this world and its politics… We’re all scrambling for our lives, our ideals… all for a token of greed… These Crests… They-” She squirmed in pain, letting out a soft grunt.

Byleth immediately moved her hands over to Edelgard’s wound, shushing and cooing her.

Her chest began heaving quickly and the platinum blonde haired woman smiled, moving her bloodied hand to the crying woman’s cheek.

“...Byleth.” She finally called her by her name.

“It’s…funny…isn’t it? I have this…” She gulped, tears sliding down the corners of her own reddening eyes, “…this feeling that…all of this could have been avoided…” She sniffed, wiping at the now minty green haired woman’s tear, but only managing to leave a dirty line of blood on her cheek, “…if you had been by my side.” She finished, smiling sadly.

Byleth choked, grabbing her hand, rubbing her cheek against it.  
  


**“I love you, my Black Eagle.”** The light was fading from her eyes as she said that.

Byleth smiled and leaned in, tightening her grip of her hand, “I love you too.”

Edelgard grinned weakly, blood oozing out of the corner of her mouth, “You’re a terrible liar.”

Her voice was raspy now, barely a whisper, she turned her head, closing her eyes to face the sky, “The only…person you will ever love… **is Dimitri…** ”

Her small lips twisted to a peaceful smile, “But it’s nice to hear…thank yo- ……”

Byleth gasped, “Edelgard?” She gently shook her.

**She’s gone.  
  
**

She placed her hands on her chest and looked at her face.  


She died with a smile on her lips.  
  


**“Sleep well, My Queen of Scarlet.”** She gave a silent prayer before she placed a kiss on her forehead and stood up, picking up her sword.  
  


She gave her one last look before she turned around and began walking away.  
  


Dimitri was quietly waiting for her, his expression unreadable.

  
He said nothing.

  
As she joined his side, she didn’t even look at him. Her tears have been washed away by the rain.  
  


He reached out to touch her face but had stopped himself.  
  


She looked up at him, her eyes empty.  
  


The corners of her lips twisted to a child-like smile.  
  


He shot his eye open, struck by her expression.  
  


She said nothing at all, just turned around and walked away ghastly…

**. . . . .**

“Hey,” Sothis started, cupping the woman’s crying face, “L-Let’s just…run away, okay?”  


Byleth’s eyes were dead, “…now Claude will suffer the same fate.” She stated quietly, her voice barely a whisper. It died out in the rain.  


Sothis cried, shaking her head, “Look at you… It doesn’t have to be this way. He’s making you miserable. Let’s just leave!” Byleth tried to stand up but slipped.  


She can’t move her foot.  
  


“...I’m sure Claude will take you in. You can both run away and-” Sothis continued, waving her tiny fists around.  
  


Byleth pushed herself so she could lean against a wall.

  
Her clothes were dirty.  
  


The pain of her sprained ankle was nothing compared to the pain she felt in her heart.

  
“Why are you doing this to yourself?” Sothis looked down at her sadly.

  
“...”  
  


Her hair was completely minty green now.  
  


And from the looks of it, permanently.  
  


She flipped her wrist and her eyes landed on that faint and barely noticeable beauty mark, right on her veins…  
  


She sunk her nails into her wrist deeply and began to scratch at it.  
  


“What are you doing?! **Stop!** ” Sothis yelled out.  
  


Sothis grabbed at her hand to stop the woman from hurting herself.  
  


Suddenly, she felt a large shadow stretch before her.  
  


Byleth didn’t need to look up to know who it was.  
  


Sothis looked up and glared at the blonde man before disappearing.  
****  
****

****“Stand up.”** **

  
The minty green haired woman didn’t budge an inch.  
  


“...”

Dimitri watched her quietly, dripping wet, clothes stained and dirty.  
  


Her hands and nails were bloodied.  
  


What tugged at his heart the most, however, were the newly forming bloodied scratch marks on her right wrist.  
  


His eye traveled down to her legs all the way to her feet. One of her feels was broken and coming loose.  
  


He squatted down and gently grabbed her ankle.  
  


He felt her body flinch underneath his touch.  
  


Tutting, he slid her feet into her broken shoe then quickly scooped her up in his arms.  
  


He carried her bridal style, looking down at her groggy head that she’d dropped on his chest as he held her in his arms.  
  


His eye softened just a bit-- It has been a while since he carried her like this.  
  


__She feels…lighter.  
  
_ _

__More fragile…  
  
_ _

__Like she could break at any second…  
  
_ _

A sharp pain shot through his heart and he grit his teeth as he began to walk away with Byleth in his arms.  
  
  


. . .  
  


He had made it into his room with Byleth in his arms.  


He had done his best to shield her from the rain, causing him to be the one soaking wet.  
  


It had been a long time since either of them have been in each others rooms.  
  


Just…the two of them…  
  


He sat her on a wooden counter, his hands sliding down to her waist to steady her.  
  


…It had been such a long time since he had touched her…  
  


Without realizing it, his hands lingered there before he looked up at her face, her eyes were downcast and she was expressionless.  
  


Her hair was still at a minty green color. It did not look like it was going to change anytime soon-- or ever, really.  
  


He looked at her ankle and wrist-- he needed to treat them.  
  


He left to fetch a medical kit and towel.

**  
. . .  
**  
  


She felt him leave and suddenly felt very frightful, reaching a groggy hand out, __‘Don’t…leave…’__ She couldn’t find her voice.  
  


She reached her hand so far that it caused her to fall off the counter and tumble to the ground painfully.  


Her body hurt.

  
She heard heavy rushed footsteps towards her and for a moment, she thought she heard __him.  
__

  
“Byleth!”  


That Dimitri of old…

  
Her Dimitri.

  
Her sweet…and kind…gentle…

  
Rough arms reached for her shoulders.

  
“Dimitri…” She breathed.  
  


He had her sit up as he dropped by his knees next to her, “Dimitri…” She called again as she turned to look at the large blonde, her eyes empty.  
  


He regarded her with a confused look as she crawled towards him, pressing one hand on his lap and the other on his shoulder.  
  


“Have you seen him?” She asked, now sitting at an intimately close proximity to him, her hand reaching up to touch his face.

  
He grit his teeth and knotted his brows at her.

  
“Have you seen my…Dimitri?”

  
Dimitri said nothing, sitting there rigidly.

  
He felt a shiver run through him as the pads of her fingers connected with his face.  


The corners of her lips twisted to a smirk, running a thumb under his good eye, “Just kidding~”  
  


He shot his eye open.

  
“I knew it was you.” She shakily reached her other hand towards his hair, gently carding her fingers through his unruly and layered damp blonde hair, “It’s always been you…” She added quietly, her eyes momentarily downcast.

She felt him steeling his body underneath her.

Her eyes found his again and she looked at him seriously for a second, her expression changing to a deeply pained one before she masked it away by giggling.

He furrowed his brows, “Hm?” Without realizing, he looked at her in concern.

Realizing this, she shook her head, still not ceasing her giggles, “Sorry… Sorry… I was just reminded of something. You suddenly had that same look on your face… As you did when-” Her giggles broke into laughter.

A silent gasp escaped his lips, “…?”

She looked at him and she grinned that charming yet childish grin of her’s, “On the day we first met.”

She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, dropping her forehead against his shoulder,

“...both Edelgard and Claude had introduced themselves to me. They were already chatting me up about themselves, their Houses, and their hobbies, even. **Then there was you...** ” She smiled, her eyes distant, “ **You were staring at me.** You weren’t very subtle about it, either. I remember catching you looking quietly at me and thinking, _‘What the hell’s this kid’s problem?’_ ” She chuckled, “Without really intending to, I ended up glaring at you.”

She grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself just a bit to face him again, “Then you…had that same exact innocent look. Like a child whose been caught doing something that he shouldn’t be doing…”

“...then you introduced yourself to me.”

  
Her eyes found his and she furrowed her eyebrows, smiling warmly before she concluded, “And I thought,” He caressed his face,

**  
“How positively adorable.”  
**

He shot his eye open, unable to hide the sad furrow of his brows and the pout in his lips.

  
Byleth dropped her head on his shoulders again, exhaling another deep sigh,

  
“Things were much simpler back then, huh?”

  
“Yeah…” He answered.  


“Mm…” She sniffed, shaking her head.

“...I like the long hair by the way. It suits you.” She smirked as she said that.

He slumped his shoulder, scoffing but not exactly annoyed by what she said, “…thanks.”

“The eye patch is a nice addition too, all things considered.” She felt her cheeks heat up and she mumbled, “…you look cool.”  


Considering how he lost this eye, he…  


The corners of his lips twisted to a smirk, “Heh. Idiot.”

  
That caught her off guard.

  
She didn’t even realize that she’d immediately pouted and sat up to glare at him, “Who’s the idiot-”

  
**. . .  
**

  
His expression…  


Her shoulders slumped and she looked at him.

  
Her lips parted.

  
The corners of his lips were tilted up just a bit to what appeared to be a smile…

  
A very small but subtle smile.

  
It’s easily missable from afar.  


What an odd but beautiful expression…

  
She felt her heart beat quickly.

  
Dimitri scowled, “What?”

  
Byleth smiled lovingly at him.

  
There was a tinge of sadness in her eyes.

  
There was a moment of silence between them.

  
The green haired woman cupped his face with both hands.

  
His body willingly felt at ease under her touch.

  
There was this familiar sense of relaxation and familiality.

  
His heart was beating rapidly.

  
His blood was beginning to boil.

  
“You never asked me…” She started, looking at him seriously,

  
“...even after all this time…”

  
**“What exactly do I see in you?”** She asked.

He shot his eye open.

No,

It is a question that has been on his mind for many years.

It is a question that haunted him.

A question he was afraid to ask and even more so afraid of the answer.

“Well, I’m going to both ask and answer that for you.” She continued.

  
He leaned in, lifting his hand up, placing it on her soft cheek,  
  
“Byleth-”

  
“What do I see in you?” Her eyes were suddenly drunk with his and she stared at him square in the eye.

  
“B-Byleth, stop-”

  
That warm loving smile took over her lips as she surprised him with her answer,

  
“I see **_**_you,_**_** Dimitri.”

  
Dimitri exhaled a shaky breath and widened his eye.

  
She shakily placed her hand over his before he roughly grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the ground, hungrily capturing her lips with his.

  
It even took Byleth by surprise.  
  


She was not prepared for his incredible strength and the ferocity of his kiss.

  
Byleth moaned against the kiss, her body arching against his own.

  
Her chest heaved painfully against his armor.

  
They exchanged heavy breaths upon parting from the kiss.  
  


He didn’t even give her enough time to breathe as his lips were devouring hers again, his large hand traveling down to her breasts as he roughly squeezed at one of them.  


This caused her to let out a cry and throw her head back, granting him access to her neck, which he sunk his teeth into.

  
He tore her shirt open with one hand and released one of her breasts into the cold air.

  
She squirmed as he massaged her breast. Her breath hitched as he began to suck on her nipple, his other hand traveling down to her thighs, traveling further and further in between her legs.

  
She gasped as he ghosted his finger teasingly over her panties.

  
A cry escaped her lips as she moved one hand up to brush at her sweaty bangs, and the other was shakily over Dimitri’s head.

  
He grabbed hold of her tights and lowered them all the way down to her knees.

  
He watched her with a hungry yet smug look as he tugged on her nipple with his teeth.  
  


Her cheeks were flushed and she was panting heavily.

__  
She looks so fucking beautiful,__ he thought.

__  
Only I can touch you like this…  
  
_ _

__Only I can make a mess out of you!  
  
_ _

  
He backed up and tore off her bra entirely, throwing it aside.

  
“Di…Dimitri…” She panted his name.

  
His lips were all over hers again, tasting her.  


She lifted her hands up to take his fur cloak off.

  
Managing to do so, her hands began to work on his chest armor.

  
She didn’t know what she was doing!

  
Chuckling throatily against her lips, Byleth frowned as he parted from her lips.

  
She always had difficulty when it came to taking his own clothes off.

  
He scoffed, smirking smugly as he took off his meticulously dressed chest armor, shirt, and gloves with ease.

  
She was going to berate him for wearing something so complicated to take off before she was immediately distracted by his body. He was much more toned than she remembered.

  
And she remembered his body well.

  
He put on more muscles too.

  
And unlike last time, he had scars decorating his body this time around.  


He looked sexy.

  
Taking note of her distracted look, he leaned in against her again, pressing his chest against hers as he began to kiss at her jawline.  


She moved her hands to his hardened with muscles back.

  
His hand traveled to the inside of her skirt.  


She let out a whimper as he slid her long fingers to the inside of her panties, fingering her.

  
She let out a cry.

  
He pressed his forehead against hers and grinned as he continued pleasuring her, watching her erotic expressions.  


Her nails dug deep into his back.

  
He knew of her sweet spots. He knows her body all too well.

  
“D-Dimitri…I.. “

  
Immediately after, he pulled his fingers out and tore her panties off.

  
She didn’t even register what was happening due to her mind being foggy with pleasure.

  
Dimitri went down on her, lifting her skirt up and replacing his fingers with his tongue.

  
Byleth shot her eyes open and let out a gasp.

  
She arched her hips forward, lowering her hands to the back of his head, carding through his thick blonde locks.

  
“Dimitri…” She panted, calling his name over and over again until her own cry of release interrupted her.

  
She slumped her body back weakly, her legs were still shaking.

  
She looked up and watched as Dimitri looked at her with that familiar dark look in his eye.  


This time it was even more feral.

  
He wiped at his mouth and began licking at his fingers as he watched her.

  
Her heart was thumping so loudly in her chest and just under his gaze alone,

  
“I feel like I’m going to die.” She breathed.

  
He leaned in on her and glared at her up close,

  
“Not yet.”

  
Just as quickly as he said that, he scooped her off the floor and took her to his bed, dropping her there.

  
“So rough…” She pouted cutely, running her hands through her own hair seductively.

  
He caged her underneath his body and leveled his face against hers, “Sh.” He kissed her.  


His hands worked their way around her body, taking off the rest of her clothes until she was completely naked.  


She felt hot underneath his stare and tried to shield her eyes with her forearm before he moved it out of the way.  


“W…What?” She mewled, her cheeks a deep red.  


His expression softened and his smile suddenly turned warm and loving.  


It completely took her aback.  


It was the first time she’d seem him smile like this in…years.  


**“You’re perfect.”** He breathed.  


She shot her eyes open and her lips parted.  


Her brows furrowed and without even realizing it,  


She was crying.  


“What are you talking about?” She tried to pout but she couldn’t.  


She pulled his head towards hers and kissed him, her fingers sliding under the knot of his eye patch, unraveling it.  


He exhaled a soft gasp as he parted his lips from her. He furrowed his blonde brows and moved to cover his scar with his hand.  


She stopped him, cupping his face and gently brushing her thumb underneath where his right eye used to be.  


“ ** _ ** _You’re_**_** perfect, Dimitri."  
  


The blonde shot his open and looked at her in disbelief.  
  


His heart thumped so much it could explode.  
  


Byleth pulled his face closer to hers again and pressed her lips chastely over his right eyelid.  


He felt all the pain and memories almost disappear then.  
  


It was strangely liberating.  
  


He’d been fighting all these years against the trauma and the pain. The war had both corrupted and angered him. Deep in his heart, all he’d wished for was for her to be safe and well.  
  


He wanted to protect her.  
  


But in the end, all he did was hurt her.

  
He hurt her so much.

  
And yet she never left…

  
She never abandoned him.

  
Why didn’t she leave him?

  
He was so terrible towards her.

  
He-

  
A tear slid down Dimitri’s cheek, “Byleth…” He started as he sat up, pulling her towards him.  
  
  
Byleth watched him, her heart utterly broken as he cried, blood pouring out of his right eyelid instead of tears.  
  
  
“Byleth…” He called again, his voice trembling.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, pressing his head against her chest,

  
“Don’t leave me…” He cried lowly,

  
“Please…”

  
Byleth gasped, tears falling down her face. She looked down at the large and powerful Commander. The Mighty Blue Lion, now shaking and holding onto her for dear life, crying like an abandoned child...  


It hurt to watch.  


Her heart clenched painfully.  
  


She gulped through her sobs and wrapped her much smaller and frailer arms around him, “W-What are you t-talking about?”  


“Of course I’m never leaving you.” She spoke softly, furrowing her brows. She softly brushed through his blonde hair, **“I’m yours, remember?”** She reminded, pulling his face up and wiping at his tears with her thumbs. She placed a kiss right on his temples.  


Dimitri shivered and grabbed her hands, kissing her palms and looking at her sternly, a warm smile overtaking his lips,

  
“And I you, **My One and Only.** ” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her passionately,  


“... **My Blue Lioness.** ” He breathed against her lips, smiling as he pushed her down the bed.

  
. . .

* * *

A man in a dark navy cloak walked into a bar, the door’s bell chiming upon his entry.  


It was filled with people chatting away and getting drunk off their problems.  


Of course bars are always this crowded at night.  


He sat down by the counter and nodded at the bartender.  


The bartender approached the new customer.  


“Whiskey. Easy on the ice.”  


The bartender looked at him, then at the other customer by the cloaked man.  


“You got it.” He went about his business.

**“So…”** The man next to him started,  
“I’m guessing my proposal was rejected.”  


The bartender returned with the man’s drink, “Whiskey, easy ice.”

The cloaked man nodded in gratitude.

He turned to his right just a bit, watching a golden tanned man who wore a brown cloak, take a sip of his drink.

The navy cloaked man scoffed and picked up his own drink, “What did you expect?”

A tired sigh escaped the man’s lips, “Honestly? I had hoped for her to come running to me.”

The pale man shrugged the cloak off his head, revealing Felix whom turned to look at the man icily, “Get over it, Claude.”

Claude glared back at the man before he turned to look at his glass, stirring it slowly, “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘All is Fair in Love and War,’” He grinned dryly at the dark haired man, “Huh?”

Felix rolled his eyes, “Boar will beat your Fair, Love, and All to death and win the War-” He scoffed and grabbed his glass, shrugging a shoulder, “And to rub salt in the wound, ask Byleth to dance and sing Kumbaya in your deathbed.” He took a sip coolly.

The Golden Deer Commander shot his eyes open and glared at the man, offended, “Asshole!”

Felix set his glass down as seconds of silence passed between them.  


That’s when Claude quietly went on, “…I miss her so much, man. I wanted to see her…at least one more time before we inevitably meet on the battlefield.”

Claude cast his gaze downwards and he smiled distantly, “I know… I never had a chance… But the heart wants what the heart wants. She’s got a tight grip on me, man.” He chuckled.

“Idiotic proposal aside, there’s something I wanna ask you.” Felix started, not looking at him.

The brunette grinned and winked at him, despite the other avoiding his stare, “Shoot.”

“Why didn’t you have the letter sent directly to Byleth instead? You’re a smart man, Claude. I’m sure you could have figured out a way to do that. Why send it to be delivered to Dimitri specifically?”

Claude turned to face his drink again, snickering.

  
Felix shot him a confused look.

  
The corners of the tanned man’s lips twisted to a cold smile-- it was the first time he’d seen him smile like that.

**“I wanted to drive them apart.”** He confessed, his eyes suddenly cold.  
  
He leaned in against the counter and gestured his hand out, “If I had sent it to Byleth… Sure, she might come… But I don’t think she trusts me fully. She’s a pretty cunning woman. She’ll probably have something cooked up. However,” He pointed his finger out as he continued to explain, “If Dimitri knew. He will definitely decide not to share the knowledge of it with Byleth therefore, creating tension and animosity between them. Byleth will want to know what the letter said and Dimitri not trusting her enough to follow along with it.” He grinned childishly at Felix, “Two of the Commanding Officers being in disarray means a drop of morale for The Blue Lions. Easy victory for us!” He gave a smug look and finger-gunned Felix, “And Byleth would have definitely ended up coming to me.”  


He paused then frowned, slumping his shoulder, “…and yet here you are.” He sighed, “Here I was waiting for a beautiful buxom woman to join me for a drink. Guess my plan failed. What a drag…” He took a quick sip of his drink.  


Felix watched quietly, doing his best to steel himself.  


His fists clenched in anger, “You wanted to break Dimitri…”

His plan was too perfect.  
It’s simple and it so nearly worked.

Claude said nothing at that, shrugging a shoulder.

His emerald eyes suddenly became distant and he grinned weakly, “I mean, isn’t he already? He’s just a ticking time bomb, anyway. Guess I thought I’d be the final nail in the coffin.”

  
Felix grit his teeth and knotted his brows at him.

  
He tutted at Claude in disgust, whom turned to look at him with an empty smile, “Didn’t really think I could be so blackhearted, huh?”

  
Felix wanted to beat the shit out of him.

  
Suddenly, he remembered something...

**. . . . .  
**

Many years, back in the Monastery…  


Dimitri leaned against a tree, hidden underneath the shade with his arms crossed.

  
Felix was practicing his sword moves, “So?” He started, slashing at the air with his sword, “What’s with that mean mug? You’re going to scare all the ladies away and then-” He did another slash, “-I’ll get an earful from Sylvain about **Boar The Bore.** ”

He smirked, stabbing his sword to the grassy grounds and crossing his arms, “Well? Out with it, man.”  


The blonde exhaled a sigh, “Very funny.”

He walked towards his best friend, keeping his eyes transfixed on the sword, “Remember that adviser?"  


“Piggy with Lips?” Felix asked.  


“Right.” Dimitri smirked, pulling the sword out with ease, “Her.”

“What about her?”

The blonde pointed the sword skyward, watching the sunlight reflect on its silvery surface, he flipped it around in his hand and quickly pulled it back, imitating a fighting stance.

A fighting stance that looked very familiar.

_Byleth’s._

He stabbed the sword miserably to the ground again, scoffing as he smirked to himself, “As usual, I can’t do with swords…” He spoke quietly, seemingly more to himself.

  
Then he looked at Felix and oh-so-casually, he admitted, “She knows I’m the one responsible for her curse. Called it a woman’s intuition.”  
He smirked as he said that, shrugging his hands out, “Woman’s intuition… Can you believe this girl?”  


Felix shot his eyes open and grabbed the blonde by his forearm, “Wait, what?! Please tell me you didn’t admit-”

Dimitri watched his best friend calmly, arching an eyebrow, “Of course I confirmed it. I can’t lie to my girlfriend.” He smirked, blushing.  


He always had that giddy smirk on every time he’d refer to Byleth as his girlfriend.  


__What a dork.  
_ _

“She’s our Teacher before she’s your girlfriend!” Felix shook him.  


“Well she’s my Girlfriend before she’s my teacher!” The blonde yelled back.

Felix’s eyes widened and he looked around them before he leaned in, “You could get expelled!” He whisper-yelled.

“No, I won’t.”

The dark haired man let out a deep sigh and pressed his temples, tapping his foot against the ground, “Well, what did she say?”

“She asked me if she I think what I did is right.”  


“And?” Felix looked up at him.

Dimitri had an eerie childish innocence about him, smiling and facing the ground, his cheeks a rosy pink, “I said yes.”

“Then...” His blue eyes averted to the side, his eyes distant yet carried a warm and loving tint pooled within them, “She simply said ‘Well that’s good enough for me.’”

Felix sweat-dropped, “That’s not something a teacher should say…”

The blonde parted his lips to retort back but his best friend immediately smacked a hand on his mouth, shutting him up, “OR a girlfriend, for that matter!”

Felix turned around and tutted, taking his sword out and leaning it against his back, “Bunch of psychos…” He turned to look at the blonde over his shoulder, “I’m still annoyed I didn’t get to kill that thing. Always wanted to try fighting an Outer Realm monster.” He frowned and kicked the dirt, “…transformed earlier than we anticipated.”  


He turned to look at Dimitri, arching an eyebrow, “But holyshit that woman can kick some serious ass. In heels, too.” He grinned goofily at his blonde best friend, “Do you mind if I ask her to spar?”  


Dimitri gasped inaudibly and threw his fists out, getting into Felix’s face, “Don’t even try it!”

Felix sighed, putting his hands up, “Boar the Bore.”

The blonde grit his teeth at him, “I won’t forgive anyone who hurts her.” He mumbled quietly, crossing his arms.

A moment of silence passed between them before Dimitri added again, “…I know what I did is right, Felix. That woman… She was a criminal. Even her name was a fake. She had been spending more than twenty years leaching money from the government to spread vile propaganda that was deeply regressive for women. Do you have any idea how many women who did night jobs were executed under false pretenses because of her?”

Dimitri grit his teeth, clenching his fists angrily. He knotted his brows, his eyes burning with a fury, “…and she has a pattern too, y’know? It’s always young and attractive women. She would always accuse them of being spies. It was a witch hunt. Those women… They were important to someone, y’know?”

Felix watched quietly as his best friend’s eyes widened, baring his teeth out as he began breathing erratically, “Someone’s lover, someone’s daughter, a sister… They could be someone’s only family-- L-Like Byleth! She’s Jeralt’s only daughter!” His voice rose.

“I-Inappropriate clothing?! A seductress sent by her mercenary father to pass along information of The Three Houses?! GIVE ME A BREAK! ****YOU’RE JUST A FUCKING SLOB!**** ” He yelled.  


The dark haired male gulped and watched blood ooze out from in between his gloved fingers.

There it was… That untapped strength of his…

“Using your position to take down the weak over some petty reasons such as jealousy and envy… People like that make me sick!” He hissed, then turned to look at Felix, glaring at him, “If Byleth hadn’t killed her, I would have!"

Sighing, the shorter male dropped his sword to the ground and wrapped his arms around his best friend, taking him by surprise.

Dimitri gasped as Felix hugged him.  


He hadn’t realized that his entire body was shaking.  


Shakily, he hugged his friend back.  


Felix tapped him in the back, “I believe in your judgement… And from the looks of it, so does Byleth. So do all of The Blue Lions. We chose to follow you because we believe in your ideals. You’re our leader. Our future King.”  


“...”

He parted from his friend and cupped his head, bumping his forehead against his, “So cool that stupidly heavy head of yours, dammit!” He headbutted him, hurting his own head moreso than his.

  
Dimitri rubbed his reddening forehead as he frowned at his best friend.

  
Felix shook his head and sluggishly walked towards Dimitri, grabbing his wrists. He snatched the water canteen that he’d kept on his back and started pouring water over Dimitri’s bloodied palms and fingers.  


He ripped through heavy leather… That’s fucking nuts…

  
“...thanks.” Dimitri mumbled in embarrassment as the dark haired male cleaned the blood off his hands.

“Still though…” Felix went on, “…any other woman would be scared.” He looked at the blonde and smirked, “She’s a keeper. A bit of a nutcase but I guess that’s what makes her perfect for you.”

Dimitri blushed and faced the ground, “Y-Yeah… Ilikeherverymuch…”  


__Cute.  
  
_ _

Felix chuckled, shaking his head, “Gross.”  


He picked up his sword again, using some of the leftover canteen water to wash it off, “Remember, Boar. Like I always say… I’m your sword.”  


He lifted the sword up to the sun, checking to see for any severe scratches, **“You say stab, I say ‘how deep’”  
  
**

His eyes found his and he scoffed at him, “Got it?”

The blonde let out a dry chuckle, smiling as he faced the ground, “Yeah, yeah… I get it.”

Felix smiled as he cleaned his sword in between his elbow and sheathed it.

**. . . . . .**

“What’s with that look?” Claude’s voice interrupted him of his flashback, “You look like you’re reliving the past.”  


Felix scowled at him- He really could not stand this man, “That’s too specific of an analogy.”

“You had that look in your eyes… And you were smiling too.” The tanned noble grinned and rested his elbow against the counter, “I’m good at reading people, y’know.”

Felix smiled and stirred his drink- the ice had nearly melted entirely in the remains of his whiskey, “Only on the surface, it seems.”

  
Claude arched a brow, “Hm?”

  
“You thought you knew Dimitri… That you knew Byleth… It’s all superficial. This plan of yours…”

  
Claude glared at the man. He didn’t like how at peace he seemed, smiling. It was as if he reached an epiphany,

  
“ **’I, Claude von Riegan, Commander of The Golden Deer, swear to end all conflict and stop any further pursuits with The Blue Lions, in exchange for Lady Byleth’s hand in marriage.’** ” Felix quoted what the letter had said and then…

  
He broke into laughter.

  
Claude watched him strangely. He’d never seen the man laugh like that.

  
“...how utterly foolish.”

  
“I beg your pardon?” The Golden Deer Commander grit his teeth.  


“In all your pursuits of Byleth... All these years and you never stopped to think how she truly feels… Her and Boar have their ups and downs from time to time but there’s something you don’t quite understand.”

He grinned softly, “I’ll tell you this now so you can get it through that pea brained head of yours:”

“Byleth is selfish. She’s selfish about Dimitri, in particular. She will never leave him.”

He looked at Claude and gestured a hand out, “’End conflict between The Blue Lions and The Golden Deer in exchange for her hand in marriage? You could offer to end world hunger and she still wouldn’t leave.”

He grinned, “ **She’s like a rabid dog in that sense…** But I guess that’s what drove the two of you House Leaders insane about her. You wish you had someone with that unrelenting love as your aide… Your lover… Your Queen. She really is a demon behind sheep’s clothing… In this case, Lion’s clothing.”

He chuckled, “We’re lucky she’s on our side, wouldn’t you say?”

Claude watched the pale man with a horror, his eyes wide and his lips trembling.

Felix smirked at him before he turned around and stood up, pulling his cloak up to cover his head, “Have yourself a good night, Claude von Riegan.”

“Wait.”

Felix stopped.

  
Claude faced downward and clenched his fist, “Is she…  
Is Byleth going to be okay with that monster?”

  
Felix looked at him over his shoulder for a moment, his lips parted,

  
“Yeah.” He nodded.

  
Claude shot him a look, not exactly convinced. He parted his lips to say something but changed his mind. Instead he turned back to his seat and requested that the bartender offer him another drink.

  
Felix watched quietly, squinting his eyes before he turned and exited the bar.

* * *

**“The moon looks beautiful…”** Byleth commented, taking a peek behind the curtains, “…the rain still hadn’t let up. It’s perfect for taking a bath...” She sighed dreamily, “Wouldn’t you agree?”

  
Byleth was sitting up by the bed, naked, and with a head resting against her lap.

  
She was gently stroking at his blonde hair.

  
Upon getting no response, she pouted and nudged her lap, earning her a groan from him, “Hm?… Yeah…” He looked up at her, poking her cheek with his finger, “Those small baths with all the overpriced oils and perfumes of yours…”

“That bath was too small.” She shrugged her free hand up, “It barely fit you back then it definitely won’t now.”

He wrapped an arm around her bare waist, blushing, “I get it, I get it… I’ll get you a new one.”

She looked down at him and frowned cutely, blushing, “Us.” She corrected.

He smiled at her at that. Dimitri grabbed the hand that was stroking his hair and began kissing at every pad of her fingers, her palm…

“Hey, Dimitri…” She started quietly.

  
He sat up and placed his lips on her stomach, kissing it.

  
“When this war is over… When I am no longer needed for my skills… Do you reckon we could…” But she didn’t allow herself to finish.

Dimitri sat up and looked at her strangely.

  
Byleth blushed and looked to the side, “Forget it… It's nothing.”  


Dimitri placed a hand on her cheek, “Byleth…” He started.  


She turned to look at him, her brows furrowed,  


He looked at her seriously, inching his face closer to hers,

“I’m going to marry you.”

  
Byleth gasped and she felt her heart nearly stop.

  
He pressed his forehead against hers, “Truth be told, I’ve been planning this right from the start… There’s no one else for me. Just you. I’ve always knew…” He inched his clips closer to hers, “Just…continue waiting for me more… Like you always do.”

He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her.

  
Tears slid out of Byleth’s eyes and she shakily kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his broad back to a hug.  


She heard sniffing and it nearly startled her had Dimitri not pinned her down on the bed again. His lips traveled down to her neck.  


__I swear to gods if it’s that-  
  
_ _

Sothis jumped next to her in bed, a handkerchief in her hand as she sniffed, **“Oh, Byleth… I am so happy--- oooh~~ What’s going on there, huh?”  
  
**

Byleth blushed a deep red, doing her best to compose herself.

Sothis grinned, trying to take a peak by squinting her eyes at Dimitri, “Wow~ So that’s what he’s got hidden under all that armor, huh?~”

Byleth bit her lower lip, __You little…  
__

Dimitri paused, noticing the woman suddenly growing rigid underneath him. He looked at her and arched an eyebrow, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh my gosh! Look at that butt!” She jumped in the back and took a peak, “It’s built like David!”

Dimitri watched in confusion as Byleth’s face turned redder and redder, tilting his head in confusion.

Sothis placed a hand on her cheek, blushing, ogling at Dimitri up and down, “You know, Byleth, I always thought Claude was easy on the eyes but THIS! Ho~Ho~”

Byleth’s lips were shaking and Dimitri was staring at her strangely. She placed a hand on her eyes and turned around.

He sighed, “Getting embarrassed again?” He reached for her hand, “Look, it was cute the first time…”

“I’msoembarrassed…” Byleth mewled.

  
Dimitri blushed slightly, “…damn. Still cute.”

  
Sothis looked at all the discarded clothing, “Those are his pants?! I knew he was tall but wowie wow!”

The little green haired woman blushed again, “This is a crime, right? Ah who cares I’m practically a god!”

Byleth clenched her fists, still shielding her face from Dimitri,”Come’on, Byleth…” He grinned, “Unless you want me to tickle you-”  


Before he finished she immediately pounced at him, practically pinning him down instead.  


Quite stunned ~~and turned on~~ by her strength, he looked up at her unruly blushing state in amazement, “Whoa…”

She was blushing deep red and panting.

Sothis placed her hands on her small mouth.

Byleth glared at Dimitri, really meaning to glare at Sothis instead, “You just never listen, huh?” She gripped on his bare shoulders, gritting her teeth,

“...you deserve to be taught a lesson.” She leaned in against his face.

Dimitri gulped, “…am I going to be punished, Teacher?” He blushed.

Sothis’ jaw dropped, “Oh.my.gosh!!!!! It’s going to be one of those!”

Byleth’s eyes were cold and excited, grinning, “You’re going to wish to be punished after I’m done with you...” She leaned her lips closer to his ear and hissed, feeling him shiver underneath her.

“Let’s start with behavioral basics. Chapter 1.”  


Dimitri’s eye widened and he nodded obediently,

  
“Yes, Ma’am.”

  
Sothis waved a hand out, blushing and shaking her head, “Yeah, this is too much for me! I’m out!”

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> UPDATE E/N: I would first of all like to say Thank You So Much!!! for the positive comments. I did not expect that due to this story's material (and my working without its material being 100 percent canon)  
> I have kept everything as it is so that you may enjoy it for what it is.
> 
> I do realize that several aspects of this are not 100 percent as they are in the actual game now that I am actually playing the game. 
> 
> FURTHER UPDATES: I plan to -maybe- write another fic that I actually want your opinion on.
> 
> If you don't mind... UuU'   
> Male Byleth..... Who would you rather see him paired up with: 1) Lysithea or 2) Linhardt [or 3)BOTH lol]
> 
> You could say it's an idea for a future fanfic.
> 
> (fuckmeimtired)
> 
> A bit of story trivia:
> 
> \- The "It's all so fuckin' hysterical'" line is taken from one of my favorite movies of all time, "Road To Perdition."  
> \- The bit with Byleth and her shoes is a reference to when Toni Collette's character was kinda doting over her shoes in the movie "In Her Shoes." It's been a while since I last watched the movie but yeah ^^  
> \- Byleth's conversation with the Outer Realm monster... I've taken several inspirations for that bit, namely Balalaika from Black Lagoon.  
> \- ...the line "Justice is an illusion" is a call-back to Xander/Marx's quote before he dies in the Hoshido Route in FE: IF/Fates (I love Marx )  
> \- The "I'm sorry Ingrid did I break your concentration?" bit is an obvious callback to Pulp Fiction.  
> \- One of the classmates' reaction to the Outer Realm monster was to keep completely still-- that's a reference to Jurassic Park.
> 
> I'm sure I made other references but those are the one that I can remember at the moment. I need to go rest. Seriously ^^'
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
